Key points: Maurene Comey alleges her July firing was abrupt and unlawful; the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office recused. The Northern District of New York, led by John Sarcone III, will defend the government and seeks to move the case out of the Southern District. Sarcone’s appointment and his office’s subpoenas to NY Attorney General Letitia James have prompted separate legal challenges.
Trump Ally’s Northern District Office to Defend Government in Maurene Comey Firing Lawsuit
Key points: Maurene Comey alleges her July firing was abrupt and unlawful; the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office recused. The Northern District of New York, led by John Sarcone III, will defend the government and seeks to move the case out of the Southern District. Sarcone’s appointment and his office’s subpoenas to NY Attorney General Letitia James have prompted separate legal challenges.
08:05 AM, 11/14/2025Politics
Federal Lawsuit Over Maurene Comey’s Firing Now Defended by Trump Ally’s Office
NEW YORK — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, led by John Sarcone III, will represent the federal government in a lawsuit brought by Maurene Comey after the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office recused itself, according to a court filing Thursday.
Comey, who served as a federal prosecutor in Manhattan for nearly a decade, filed suit alleging her abrupt July termination was unlawful and unconstitutional and that she was given no explanation for the firing. She is the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey and handled high-profile prosecutions, including matters connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
The notice from Sarcone’s office arrived roughly two months after Comey’s complaint was filed. In the weeks between the complaint and the filing, the Justice Department had not publicly identified which U.S. Attorney’s Office would defend the government, suggesting internal deliberations over a substitute counsel.
Sarcone’s submission also said his office intends to ask that the case be transferred out of the Southern District of New York, where the complaint was originally filed.
Observers note that Sarcone is a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump and was temporarily appointed to his Northern District post earlier this year. The appointment drew scrutiny after the district’s judges declined to retain him and the administration used a procedural measure to keep him in the role. Separately, Sarcone’s office has issued subpoenas to New York Attorney General Letitia James in politically charged civil matters involving Trump and the National Rifle Association, and the validity of Sarcone’s appointment is being challenged by James.
Comment: A lawyer for Comey declined to comment. The case now sets up a dispute between a former Manhattan prosecutor and attorneys from an office led by a politically aligned U.S. attorney whose appointment and actions have generated separate legal fights.