- By Sakshi Srivastava
- Thu, 17 Jul 2025 11:04 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Maurene Comey, a senior federal prosecutor who led high-profile cases involving Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell and music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, has been fired from the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), according to two officials familiar with the matter. The Justice Department has not publicly explained the move, but sources say Comey was handed a memo invoking the president’s authority under Article II of the US Constitution to terminate federal employees.
Comey, the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, had earned a reputation as one of SDNY’s most trusted and high-performing attorneys. Her dismissal, confirmed Wednesday by outlets including NBC News and Politico, is part of a broader shake-up within the DOJ under the Trump administration, which has recently removed several prosecutors involved in politically sensitive cases. Comey's firing follows a week of heightened controversy surrounding the Trump administration's abrupt reversal on releasing documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein's alleged network—records that some Trump allies had previously promoted as explosive. The reversal has angered right-wing influencers, many of whom had publicly called for Comey's termination.
Who Is Maurene Comey?
Maurene Comey joined the US Attorney’s Office in Manhattan in 2015, rising through the ranks to become a prominent figure in SDNY’s criminal division. A Harvard Law School graduate, she was involved in some of the office’s most politically and socially consequential cases.
In 2022, she helped secure the conviction of Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite and Epstein’s longtime confidante, on charges related to the sexual abuse of minors. Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Comey had been part of the Epstein task force from its inception, becoming a key player in one of the most scrutinized sex trafficking investigations in modern history.
Earlier this year, she led the prosecution of Sean “Diddy” Combs on charges including transporting women across state lines for sex and running a criminal enterprise. The jury acquitted Combs of the most severe charges but convicted him of a lesser count related to prostitution. His sentencing is scheduled for October 3, and the case had not yet reached its post-trial phase at the time of Comey's dismissal.
Comey is married to Lucas Issacharoff, another Assistant US Attorney in SDNY, who works in the civil division. Conservative activist Laura Loomer, who has vocally pressured the Trump DOJ to purge officials perceived as anti-Trump, claimed credit for Comey’s firing and renewed her call for Issacharoff’s removal.
Why Her Firing Matters?
Comey’s removal without cause and in the middle of ongoing legal proceedings has rattled legal experts and civil service advocates, who see the move as part of a larger pattern under Trump’s second term: the politicization of prosecutorial appointments and dismissals.
The Southern District of New York has long been considered one of the most independent prosecutorial offices in the country, often operating with autonomy even when politically charged investigations are involved. Legal analysts argue that firing seasoned prosecutors like Comey, particularly without explanation, chips away at that independence and threatens the impartiality of the justice system. “This was once unthinkable,” said a former DOJ official, speaking on background. “You didn’t fire someone mid-case unless there was misconduct. This seems entirely political.”
Comey played a central role in shielding certain Epstein-related files from public disclosure, citing victim protection and potential harassment. With her departure, those internal DOJ stances may shift. Trump supporters and far-right influencers have long speculated about the contents of sealed Epstein documents, pushing for full disclosure. The concern now is whether a more politically compliant replacement may re-evaluate those positions under pressure.
Comey is not the only federal prosecutor to be shown the door. Attorney General Pam Bondi—appointed earlier this year—has also removed several attorneys connected to Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigations into Trump’s retention of classified documents and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The firings appear to be targeting officials linked to cases that have negatively affected Trump or his inner circle.
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What Happens Next?
The Justice Department has yet to announce a replacement for Comey. With Combs’ sentencing approaching and public interest in Epstein-related revelations at a fever pitch, whoever inherits Comey’s caseload will face enormous legal and political scrutiny. Meanwhile, speculation continues over whether her husband, Lucas Issacharoff, is next in line. Conservative voices, led by Loomer, are already ramping up public pressure on the DOJ to remove him as well.
