'Fear': Epstein prosecutor fired by Trump issues warning letter to ex-colleagues

Prosecutor Maurene Comey was fired at the Justice Department on Wednesday as President Donald Trump's administration faces fallout from its refusal to release the files related to the investigation and successful prosecutions of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

Politico obtained the letter, which warns that “fear is the tool of a tyrant,” an apparent swipe at the top DOJ leadership, which continues to refuse to release the files.

She mentioned the motto of operating “without fear or favor. ... We have entered a new phase where ‘without fear’ may be the challenge.”

"If a career prosecutor can be fired without reason, fear may seep into the decisions of those who remain. Do not let that happen,” the letter continued. “Fear is the tool of a tyrant, wielded to suppress independent thought. Instead of fear, let this moment fuel the fire that already burns at the heart of this place. A fire of righteous indignation at abuses of power. Of commitment to seek justice for victims. Of dedication to truth above all else.”

She went on to note that in her 10 years at the DOJ, her goal was “making sure people with access, money, and power were not treated differently than anyone else; and making sure this office remained separate from politics and focused only on the facts and the law.”

“Fear, was never really conceivable," she said.

Mimi Rocham=, former Westchester County district attorney and ex-prosecutor for the Southern District of New York, wrote on Bluesky, "Maurene Comey (who I supervised) was the lead prosecutor on the only case to get justice for the Epstein victims. The case was botched by the Dist. FL US Attorney Alex Acosta long ago. Maurene had the courage to take on a hard case that many wouldn’t have & she succeeded. That’s the story. Period."

Read the full message here.