Donald Trump just fired one of the key prosecutors in the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell sex trafficking case.
Maurene Comey, who had been working at the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2015, was removed from her post on Wednesday. The news was first reported by Politico, with CNN and the Associated Press confirming the firing through unnamed sources.
Comey had helped prosecute Epstein and Maxwell for running a sex trafficking operation involving underage girls. She was one of the three main prosecutors on the case. Maxwell is now serving a 20-year prison sentence. Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial.
Comey’s removal has triggered fresh anger over how the Trump administration is handling the Epstein files. Just last week, the Justice Department released a memo saying there is no “client list” and that they will not reveal any more information about the case.
Stay up-to-date with the latest news!
Subscribe and start recieving our daily emails.
Trump had once promised to expose the truth behind Epstein’s network. But now, some of his own supporters are turning on him. He called their outrage a “Jeffrey Epstein Hoax.” He also dismissed concerns, saying there is nothing left to see.
The White House directed questions to the Justice Department. So far, they have not responded.
Maurene Comey is the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey. Trump fired James Comey in 2017. Democrats said that move was because of the Russia investigation, not just the Hillary Clinton email case.
James Comey recently posted something online that was critical of Trump. After that, he was reportedly followed by law enforcement. The FBI is now investigating whether he made false statements to Congress.
A source told CNN that working under this administration is hard “being a Comey.” They said her firing may be because “her father is constantly going after the Administration.”
Comey is married to Lucas Issacharoff, another lawyer at the same Manhattan office. She has also worked on other major cases, including the prosecution of a doctor named Robert Hadden who sexually abused his patients. Former colleague Kristy Greenberg told MSNBC, “She is truly a prosecutor’s prosecutor” and said Comey is “beloved” by many.
Last year, Comey filed a legal declaration asking the court to block the release of Epstein records. She argued that it “could reasonably be expected to interfere” with any retrial of Maxwell. A judge later agreed with her and upheld the FBI’s decision to keep the files sealed.
Right-wing activist Laura Loomer reacted to the firing by saying, “+1 for Blondi today,” referring to Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has faced backlash from Trump supporters for not releasing the Epstein files.
Senator Adam Schiff said in a video, “Did they fire her because she’s James Comey’s daughter? That would be improper for one reason. Did they fire her because she was a prosecutor in the Epstein case? That would just feed into what the MAGA base is already suspicious of.”
Featured image via Screengrab
