A federal judge in New York ruled on Monday that the Trump administration must reinstate Maurene Comey, who lost her position as a federal prosecutor in July 2025. Judge Jesse Furman declared the dismissal of Comey illegal under the US Constitution and a violation of her right to a fair legal process.
The court ordered the government to provide Comey with back pay covering the period from July until December 2025. The justice department identified former Attorney General Pam Bondi as the official who made the decision to terminate Comey's employment.
Comey had previously worked on legal cases involving Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein, and Sean "Diddy" Combs. Lawyers for Comey stated, "This hard-earned victory belongs to Ms Comey, to all civil servants, and to all fighting for the rule of law."
A spokesperson for the justice department said the agency "will appeal in due course." In a separate matter, a judge dismissed charges against James Comey because the prosecutor who brought them was unlawfully appointed.
The justice department had charged Comey with making a threat to take the life of the president, a charge stemming from a 2025 Instagram post featuring a photo of seashells arranged to read "86 47". Comey denied any wrongdoing regarding the threat charge.
The administration also brought charges against Comey for allegedly lying to Congress.
