Maurene Comey fired: Epstein case prosecutor, ex-FBI head's daughter dropped by DOJ
There was no specific reason given for her firing, according to one of the people. They spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters.
Maurene Comey was a veteran lawyer in the Southern District of New York, long considered the most elite of the Justice Department's prosecution offices. Her cases included the sex trafficking prosecution of Epstein, who died behind bars in 2019 as he was awaiting trial, and the recent case against Combs, which ended earlier this month with a mixed verdict.
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She didn't immediately respond to messages seeking comment Wednesday.
It's the latest move by the Justice Department to fire lawyers without explanation, which has raised alarm over a disregard for civil service protections designed to prevent terminations for political reasons. The Justice Department has also fired a number of prosecutors who worked on cases that have provoked President Donald Trump's ire, including some who handled U.S. Capitol riot cases and lawyers and support staff who worked on special counsel Jack Smith's prosecutions of Trump.
Maurene Comey was long seen as a potential target given her father's fraught relationship over the last decade with the Republican president. The Justice Department recently appeared to acknowledge the existence of an investigation into James Comey, though the basis for that inquiry is unclear.
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Most recently, she was the lead prosecutor among six female prosecutors in the sex trafficking and racketeering case against Combs. The failure to convict the hip-hop mogul of the main charges, while gaining a conviction on prostitution-related charges that will likely result in a prison sentence of just a few years, was viewed by some fellow lawyers as a rare defeat by prosecutors.
But she was successful in numerous other prosecutions, most notably the conviction of Ghislaine Maxwell on sex trafficking charges for helping financier Epstein sexually abuse underage girls. In that case, she delivered a rebuttal argument during closings, as she did in the Combs case.
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Her firing comes as Attorney General Pam Bondi faces intense criticism from some members of Trump's base for the Justice Department's decision not to release any more evidence in the government's possession from Epstein's sex trafficking investigation. Some right-wing internet personalities, like Laura Loomer, who have been critical of Bondi's handling of the Epstein files had been calling for Maurene Comey's firing.
James Comey was the FBI director when Trump took office in 2017, having been appointed by then-President Barack Obama and serving before that as a senior Justice Department official in President George W. Bush's administration. But his relationship with Trump was strained from the start, and the FBI director resisted a request by Trump at a private dinner to pledge personal loyalty to the president — an overture that so unnerved the FBI director that he documented it in a contemporaneous memorandum.
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Trump rejects ex-FBI director James Comey's explanation of '8647' post
Trump soon after fired Comey amid an investigation into potential ties between Russia and Trump's presidential campaign. That inquiry, later taken over by special counsel Robert Mueller, would ultimately find that while Russia interfered with the 2016 election and the Trump team welcomed the help, there was insufficient evidence to prove a criminal collaboration.
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Trump's fury at the older Comey continued long after firing him from the bureau, blaming him for a 'hoax' and 'witch hunt' that shadowed much of his first term.
Comey disclosed contemporaneous memos of his conversations with Trump to a friend so that their content could be revealed to the media, and the following year he published a book calling Trump 'ego driven' and likening him to a mafia don. Trump, for his part, has accused Comey and other officials of treason.
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Associated Press reporter Larry Neumeister in New York contributed.
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Global News
29 minutes ago
- Global News
Videos in hockey players' trial highlight misconceptions about consent: law experts
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Story continues below advertisement Prosecutors have argued the complainant did not voluntarily agree to the sexual acts that took place, nor did the players take reasonable steps to confirm her consent. The Crown has dismissed the videos taken of the woman that night as 'token lip service box checking,' arguing she felt she had no choice but to go along when a group of men she didn't know started asking her to do things inside the hotel room. Defence lawyers, meanwhile, repeatedly challenged the complainant's credibility and reliability as a witness, arguing she was an active participant in the sexual activity and made up the allegations because she didn't want to take responsibility for her choices that night. Video statements such as the short clips shown in this trial aren't necessarily evidence of consent, said University of Ottawa law professor Daphne Gilbert. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Legally speaking, they have very little relevance because consent has to be ongoing and contemporaneous with the sexual activity and you have to be consenting to every single thing that is happening to you,' said Gilbert, who researches sexual violence and abuse in Canadian sports. 'There's no such thing as advance consent. And there's no thing as after-the-fact consent, either. 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And so if you know that, if you think about that as the way that we should approach consent, then I think it's easier to understand why those videos don't mean much.'
Toronto Sun
29 minutes ago
- Toronto Sun
Divorce, adultery allegations against Republican Ken Paxton jolt Senate race in Texas
Angela Paxton filed paperwork to end their 38-year marriage 'on biblical grounds' after 'recent discoveries' Published Jul 22, 2025 • Last updated 6 minutes ago • 8 minute read Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, left, walks with his wife and Texas State Sen. Angela Paxton on the sideline before an NCAA college football game between Navy and SMU in Dallas, Oct. 14, 2022. Photo by LM Otero / AP Firebrand Texas Republican Ken Paxton's long record of political resilience in the face of scandal faces a new test after his wife filed for divorce and accused him of adultery, jolting a contentious primary for the U.S. Senate. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The race, seen as one of the biggest GOP primaries of the midterms, was already dramatic, with a longtime incumbent, John Cornyn, fighting for his political life against Paxton, the state attorney general styling himself as more loyal to President Donald Trump. Now, Cornyn and his allies are bringing up the divorce filing as he runs against Paxton, and some Paxton backers are rethinking their support. Angela Paxton, a Republican state senator, recently accused Ken Paxton of adultery in a court filing and said she filed paperwork to end their 38-year marriage 'on biblical grounds' after 'recent discoveries.' Her comments caught some Paxton supporters off guard, prompting at least one group to drop its endorsement. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'There's no question that adultery is an attack on marriage,' Texas Values president Jonathan Saenz said in a recent interview with The Washington Post. Days later, the group withdrew its support for Ken Paxton, saying it was 'unsatisfied with the response' it received from his campaign when seeking more clarity. In his only public comments on the matter, Paxton said he and his wife had agreed to 'start a new chapter.' His campaign predicted that he would continue to persevere politically. 'Ken Paxton has faced more scrutiny and public attacks than any politician in Texas history,' Paxton adviser Nick Maddux said in a statement. 'The people of Texas will continue to have his back because they know he's a champion for our values, and there's nothing that's going to change that.' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton attends a roundtable discussion at the Community Operations Center, Friday July 11, 2025 in Kerrville, Texas. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP) The divorce filing, which revived allegations of infidelity against Paxton, added a new potential obstacle to a political career that has survived securities fraud charges, as well as an impeachment trial in the state Senate related to a federal investigation of whistleblower allegations of misconduct that included bribery and abuse of office. Paxton was acquitted in the impeachment trial, made a deal with prosecutors last year to avoid a felony securities fraud trial and has remained a mainstay in Texas politics. While some Republicans predicted he would prevail again, others were less certain. Trump – whom both Cornyn and Paxton are trying to link themselves to in the primary campaign – has been publicly neutral in the race and has not commented on Paxton's personal life. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Cornyn's campaign had already been attacking Paxton over an allegation by Texas House impeachment managers during his 2023 impeachment trial that he used a fake Uber alias – 'Dave P.' – to carry out an extramarital affair years ago. Paxton's attorneys responded to the allegations at the time by claiming the case was politically motivated and lacked evidence. Cornyn said in an interview with The Washington Post that he did not plan to make a major issue out of the divorce filing, but at the same time, he suggested it was relevant for those who believe that 'character matters,' an early refrain he has used against Paxton. 'I think the fact that his wife has finally decided to file for divorce is going to tell a lot of people that there was more fire there where there was smoke,' Cornyn said. 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Cornyn suggested that Paxton was not impervious to scandal, calling him an 'onion' because 'every time you peel back one layer of corruption, there's something beneath.' Plus, Cornyn argued, he is more prepared and better funded than any of Paxton's past opponents. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) has been trailing his primary opponent Ken Paxton in polls. MUST CREDIT: Matt McClain/The Washington Post Photo by Matt McClain / The Washington Post After an initial silence on the divorce, Cornyn's campaign has been bringing it up, releasing a digital ad Thursday about 'Dave P.' that raised the divorce filing and alleged that Paxton was 'at it again' after 'embarrassing his family once.' The incumbent has been trailing Paxton in polling for months, raising anxiety among national Republicans that they could be left with a nominee in Paxton who would make the race more competitive for Democrats. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Texas Reps. Wesley Hunt and Ronny Jackson are considered by some Republicans to be potential candidates to join the primary contest. Hunt often touts his family on social media – he is married with three young children – and did so again the morning after the news that Angela Paxton filed for divorce. Hunt has made the case to the White House that he solves a 'Texas-sized political problem,' arguing that he can win both the primary and the general election, according to a person close to him, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations. Though he has not filed to run, his campaign and allied groups have poured more than $2 million into ads this year aiming to boost his profile, some running in D.C. and Florida, where Trump resides. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Hunt recently flew with Trump on Air Force One to Texas to tour flood damage in the Hill Country, an area far from Hunt's Houston-based district. 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The proposal earned him boos at the Texas GOP convention that year, and Trump branded Cornyn a 'RINO' while opposing the deal. There is widespread GOP acknowledgment that Cornyn is on the clock to improve his standing in the primary contest before the December candidate filing deadline, and some Cornyn allies see Angela Paxton's comments as a potential trajectory-changer. Cornyn said that Trump 'may feel more comfortable' endorsing him if he can close the polling gap but that it may take longer than the filing deadline to do so. To prevail over Paxton, Cornyn said in the interview, will require two things: 'Remind people who I am and … remind people who my opponent is.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. – – – 'I felt for her' Angela Paxton announced the divorce filing – which accuses Ken Paxton of adultery, according to a petition reviewed by The Washington Post – in a social media post July 10. A judge ordered further case records to be sealed a day after she filed her petition, granting her request. Angela Paxton declined an interview request. Ken Paxton filed a brief response with the court generally denying the claims in the petition. Ken Paxton's personal life has long been a source of intrigue in his North Texas political base. The Paxtons, who have frequently referenced their Christian faith, have been political fixtures in Collin County, an affluent suburb north of Dallas that has been a GOP stronghold. The judge originally assigned to the divorce case, Jill Renfro Willis, recused herself without giving a reason, but her husband is Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis, a longtime friend of Ken Paxton. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I know Angela Paxton well enough to know she is a woman of principle and character, and I would imagine there was a lot of thought that went into her public statement,' said George Fuller, a Republican former mayor of McKinney. 'I felt for her.' Zach Barrett, a conservative GOP political analyst from McKinney, said other local Republicans told him they would not vote for Ken Paxton because of the alleged infidelity, including Barrett's mother, who said, 'I've lost all respect.' Barrett said that he knows the Paxtons but also likes Hunt, and that he wasn't sure how he would vote. 'I do believe her. But do I continue to support Ken for his Senate race? If it's down to between him and John Cornyn, I will vote for Ken Paxton,' he said, because 'what he does behind closed doors doesn't affect me one bit.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Some Paxton supporters are hoping for more clarity. Saenz said in the interview, before the group withdrew its endorsement, that Republican voters may look at the divorce differently because Paxton's wife previously stood by him and many thought they had resolved – or were resolving – their issues. 'The reality is Paxton has never faced anything like he will over the next seven months, and this latest saga represents a tectonic shift in the race,' Aaron Whitehead, executive director of the pro-Cornyn Texans for a Conservative Majority, said in a statement. The super PAC recently started running TV ads statewide pitching Cornyn as 'the man who votes with President Trump over 99 percent of the time.' One Nation, a nonprofit closely aligned with Senate GOP leadership, plans to start spending in the race as soon as this week. Mark Phariss, a Democratic lawyer who ran against Angela Paxton for the state Senate in 2018, said he doesn't think the divorce details will do lasting damage to Ken Paxton's bid because of how politics has changed in recent years, as Trump and others have withstood numerous accusations about their personal conduct. 'In a normal time and a normal party, it would have an enormous impact. It would be a career-ender,' Phariss said. Sunshine Girls Canada Sunshine Girls Columnists Celebrity
CTV News
29 minutes ago
- CTV News
U.S. Justice Department wants to interview Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell
Audrey Strauss, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, points to a photo of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, during a news conference in New York on July 2, 2020. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File) WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Justice wants to interview Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend, who was convicted of helping the financier sexually abuse underage girls and is now serving a lengthy prison sentence, a senior official said Tuesday. If Ghislaine Maxwell 'has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say,' Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a post on X, adding that President Donald Trump 'has told us to release all credible evidence." A lawyer for Maxwell confirmed there were discussions with the government. The overture to attorneys for Maxwell, who in 2022 was sentenced to 20 years in prison, is part of an ongoing Justice Department effort to cast itself as transparent following fierce backlash from parts of Trump's base over an earlier refusal to release additional records in the Epstein investigation. As part of that effort, the Justice Department, acting at the direction of the Republican president, last week asked a judge to unseal grand jury transcripts from the case. That decision is ultimately up to the judge. Epstein, who killed himself in his New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial, sexually abused children hundreds of times over more than a decade, exploiting vulnerable girls as young as 14, authorities say. He couldn't have done so without the help of Maxwell, his longtime companion, prosecutors say. The Justice Department had said in a two-page memo this month that it had not uncovered evidence to charge anyone else in connection with Epstein's abuse. But Blanche said in his social media post that the Justice Department 'does not shy away from uncomfortable truths, nor from the responsibility to pursue justice wherever the facts may lead.' He said in his post that, at the direction of Attorney General Pam Bondi, he has 'communicated with counsel for Ms. Maxwell to determine whether she would be willing to speak with prosecutors from the Department.' He said he anticipated meeting with Maxwell in the coming days. A lawyer for Maxwell, David Oscar Markus, said Tuesday in a statement: 'I can confirm that we are in discussions with the government and that Ghislaine will always testify truthfully. We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case.' ___ Eric Tucker, The Associated Press
