EXCLUSIVE: Trump's DOJ Caught in Illegal Firing of Epstein Prosecutor Maurene Comey — as Judge Exposes Pam Bondi's Role in Her Dismissal
A federal judge ruled Trump's DOJ illegally fired Epstein prosecutor Maurene Comey, exposing Pam Bondi's role in her dismissal.
Oct. 26 2026, Published 5:20 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump's Justice Department has been dealt a stunning legal blow after a federal judge ruled the administration illegally fired veteran prosecutor Maurene Comey, who helped bring cases against Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to a 55-page court ruling filed Monday, October 26, and obtained by Radar, U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman determined that Comey's July 2025 dismissal violated federal law and constitutional protections — while court filings revealed that former Attorney General Pam Bondi personally directed her removal.
The bombshell ruling details how the administration sought to justify Comey's termination through sweeping claims of presidential authority.
Bondi's Role Exposed in Court Documents
Court filings revealed Pam Bondi directed Maurene Comey's dismissal from the Justice Department.
In court filings, government attorneys acknowledged that Comey was removed at Bondi's direction, with Executive Office for United States Attorneys Director John Hakes signing the termination memorandum.
The administration subsequently attempted to defend the firing through a May 2026 memorandum issued by then-Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, purporting to ratify the earlier decision.
But Furman rejected the government's expansive interpretation of executive power, finding that federal prosecutors cannot simply be stripped of statutory employment protections.
The judge warned that accepting the administration's position would undermine the constitutional balance between Congress and the presidency.
Epstein Prosecutor Fired Without Explanation
Maurene Comey was abruptly fired in July 2025 after nearly a decade as a federal prosecutor.
Comey, the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, spent nearly a decade prosecuting major federal criminal cases in Manhattan.
Her assignments included the investigations involving Epstein, Maxwell, disgraced music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs and former Democratic Senator Bob Menendez.
Despite receiving outstanding performance evaluations between 2019 and 2024, Comey was abruptly dismissed in July 2025 without an explanation.
She later alleged that her termination stemmed from Trump's longstanding hostility toward her father, whom the president fired as FBI director in 2017.
However, the court did not determine that political retaliation motivated her dismissal.
Judge Orders Back Pay After Illegal Dismissal
A federal judge ruled Comey's dismissal unlawful and ordered the Trump administration to provide back pay.
Furman concluded that the Justice Department violated the Civil Service Reform Act, which requires legally sufficient cause and procedural safeguards before covered federal employees can be removed.
The ruling also found violations of Comey's Fifth Amendment due process rights and the Administrative Procedure Act.
In a significant victory for the former prosecutor, Furman ordered her retroactively reinstated and awarded back pay covering July 16 through December 20, 2025, when she accepted another position.
The decision does not require Comey to abandon her current employment and return to the Justice Department.
Trump Administration Vows to Appeal
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Comey previously worked on the federal cases involving Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Comey's attorneys celebrated the ruling as a victory for government accountability and constitutional checks on presidential power.
The Justice Department, however, rejected the decision, with a spokesperson confirming that the administration intends to appeal.
The ruling raises broader questions about the administration's authority to dismiss career prosecutors, particularly those connected to politically sensitive investigations.
For now, the decision represents a significant legal defeat for Trump's Justice Department — and places Bondi's involvement in Comey's controversial dismissal squarely in the spotlight.
