Judge Orders DOJ To Pay Maurene Comey $157,000 In Back Wages
A federal judge ruled the termination of the former SDNY prosecutor was unlawful and ordered retroactive reinstatement and compensation for 157 days.
By Lina Zhang ·
Judge Jesse Furman ordered the Department of Justice to pay Maurene Comey $157,000 in back wages on Monday.
The judge ruled that Comey, a former federal prosecutor in New York, was fired unlawfully. The termination occurred on July 16, 2025. The decision grants her retroactive reinstatement as an assistant U.S. attorney.
Furman calculated the back pay period to end on December 20, 2025. He inferred that Comey accepted another job on that date. The judge rejected the DOJ's argument that the attorney general could dismiss her without cause. The ruling is based in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan.
The judge found that the department ignored the procedural requirements of the Civil Service Reform Act. Comey did not receive advance written notice or a reasonable time to respond. The DOJ conceded that these protections were not afforded to her. Furman called the government's statutory argument for removal without cause "borderline on frivolous."
The ruling noted that Comey had received excellent performance reviews before her termination. Her supervisors described her as a brilliant lawyer and a gifted supervisor. The DOJ admitted that her firing was not based on her performance. The judge referenced the department's failure to provide specific reasons for the dismissal as required by law.
Furman also addressed the constitutional argument regarding the president's power to fire executive branch officials. He stated that the DOJ's position sought to overturn nearly two centuries of Supreme Court precedent. The judge noted that his court is bound to follow those precedents unless the Supreme Court changes them.
The DOJ stated that it disagrees with the decision and will appeal. The appeal will take place after Furman issues a final judgment. The White House pointed to a post by the DOJ's Rapid Response account on X. The account said the ruling obstructs President Trump's constitutional authority to fire individuals.
Comey had handled high-profile cases against Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Sean Combs. Her lawsuit argued that her termination stemmed from President Trump's animus toward her father, former FBI Director James Comey. James Comey is currently under federal indictment for allegedly threatening the president's life via an Instagram post. His attorneys are seeking to have that case dismissed.
Source: CNBC
