Maurene Comey, prosecutor in Epstein and Combs cases and daughter of former FBI director, sues after being fired
By Kara Scannell, CNN
(CNN) — Maurene Comey, a federal prosecutor involved in the Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Sean Combs cases, has sued the Trump administration over her firing this summer, levying another legal challenge to the Justice Department’s treatment of career officials.
Comey, the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, alleges in a lawsuit filed Monday in federal court in Manhattan that she was not given any explanation for her termination and says it was done in retaliation for being her father’s daughter.
“Ms. Comey’s termination – without cause, without advance notice, and without any opportunity to contest it – was unlawful and unconstitutional,” according to the lawsuit. “In truth, there is no legitimate explanation. Rather, Defendants fired Ms. Comey solely or substantially because her father is former FBI Director James B. Comey, or because of her perceived political affiliation and beliefs, or both,” the lawsuit alleges.
Comey is one of several federal civil servants fired by the Trump administration who have filed lawsuits to reinstate their positions or seek pay in a challenge to the administration’s sweeping removal of FBI agents and other federal prosecutors without notice or conforming to legal procedures.
The Justice Department and US Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York declined to comment.
Comey was notified by email just before 5 p.m. on July 16 that she had been removed from her position “pursuant to Article II of the United States Constitution,” according to the lawsuit.
She said no reason was given for her termination following a near decade of positive performance reviews and promotions.
Jay Clayton, the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, told Comey, according to the lawsuit, “All I can say is it came from Washington. I can’t tell you anything else.”
At the time of her firing CNN reported a person familiar with the situation said being a Comey is untenable in this administration given her father James Comey is “constantly going after the administration.”
Comey joined the US attorney’s office in November 2015 and rose through the ranks becoming chiefs of several units, but ultimately asked to rejoin her colleagues so she could get back into the courtroom.
Her final trial was the prosecution of Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was convicted in July of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking. She led the questioning of several key witnesses, including of Combs’ former girlfriend who testified under the pseudonym Jane.
In addition to investigating and prosecuting Epstein and Maxwell, Comey also prosecuted gynecologist Robert Hadden for sexually abusing patients.
Comey was fired the day after she was asked to take the lead on a “major public corruption case,” according to her lawsuit.
The-CNN-Wire
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