A US federal judge ruled on Monday that the Trump administration unlawfully fired former federal prosecutor Maurene Comey, the daughter of former FBI director James Comey, and ordered her reinstated with back pay. The Maurene Comey firing ruling was reported by BBC World, the Straits Times and Al Jazeera.
Judge Jesse Furman wrote that the attorney general can remove federal prosecutors only "in a particular manner and only for certain reasons," according to the Straits Times. Al Jazeera reported that Furman granted back pay covering the period from Comey’s firing on July 16, 2025, through December, and said she is entitled to "retroactive reinstatement" for that period.
Furman also wrote that "Defendants invented a new and expansive theory of executive power" and used it to remove other employees with long-held removal protections, according to Al Jazeera.
Comey sued, alleging she was dismissed "solely or substantially" because of her father’s criticism of Trump or her "perceived political affiliation and beliefs," the Straits Times reported. The sources do not say how the court addressed those specific allegations beyond the ruling itself.
The Justice Department said it "disagrees with this decision and will appeal in due course," according to BBC World. The department’s general position, as described in the sources, is that the president has wide latitude to fire employees. The sources do not set out its specific legal arguments for the appeal.
Department court filings said former Attorney General Pam Bondi made the firing decision, the outline’s background notes state. Comey served as an assistant US attorney in Manhattan from 2015 and prosecuted cases against Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Sean "Diddy" Combs.
Separately, James Comey faces a case filed in April accusing him of threatening Trump through a seashell "86 47" Instagram post. He denies the charge.
The sources differ on the date of the ruling. The Straits Times says Furman ruled on Oct. 26, while Al Jazeera and BBC World say the ruling came on Monday without giving a date.
The sources do not include a response to the ruling from the Trump White House or from Bondi. Comey’s lawyers issued a statement, but the sources do not give its contents, and they include no comment from Comey herself. The sources also do not say whether she has been reinstated or when the appeal will be filed.
The Justice Department has said it will appeal, but it has not given a timeline beyond "in due course."
Sources
This article was written with AI assistance from the published reporting listed above. It is part of the World Brief daily news podcast.