The lead federal prosecutor in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex-trafficking trial is fighting back against the Trump administration over her “unlawful and unconstitutional” firing in July.
Maurene Comey, a lead prosecutor in Combs’ high-profile case and the daughter of former FBI director James B. Comey, filed a lawsuit on Sept. 15 accusing Trump’s Department of Justice of illegally firing her, Billboard reports.
According to the suit, her termination was politically motivated retaliation against her father, who has long criticized Trump since his 2017 dismissal.
“The politically motivated termination of Ms. Comey…upends bedrock principles of our democracy and justice system,” Comey’s lawyers wrote. “Assistant United States Attorneys like Ms. Comey must do their jobs without fearing or favoring any political party or perspective.”
Comey, who has worked at the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2015, gained recognition as a lead prosecutor in the sex trafficking case against Ghislaine Maxwell. She brought that experience with her to Combs’ criminal case on similar charges. Weeks after Combs was found guilty on lesser prostitution charges, Comey was abruptly fired
by the Department of Justice, with “no legitimate explanation,” her lawyers wrote.“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 names the Department of Justice, the Executive Office of the President, and their leaders as defendants, along with the Office of Personnel Management and the Executive Office for U.S.
Attorneys. Comey is among dozens of DOJ employees taking legal action after being terminated during Trump’s second term. According to the suit, her husband, Lucas Issacharoff, “voluntarily resigned” from the DOJ in May.In a leaked memo at the time of her firing, Comey claimed she was dismissed without cause.
“If a career prosecutor can be fired without reason, fear may seep into the decisions of those who remain. Do not let that happen,” she wrote. “Fear is the tool of a tyrant,
wielded to suppress independent thought. Instead of fear, let this moment fuel the fire that already burns in the heart of this place. A fire of righteous indignation at abuses of power. Of commitment to seek justice for victims.”RELATED CONTENT: Damon Dash Partially Fulfills Court-Mandated Order, Expects To Fully Comply In August