House Republicans press for details on investigation of Atlanta federal judge
The U.S. House Judiciary Committee is seeking more details in its investigation of an Atlanta federal judge accused of misconduct that included having sex with a high-ranking Atlanta police officer in her chambers and attending a campaign event for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has learned.
In a letter obtained by the AJC on Tuesday, the committee sought details of the allegations and associated private reprimand against U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross, saying its members are “concerned about the egregious nature” of her conduct.
The AJC is first to report on the letter, addressed to Chief Judge William Pryor Jr. of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over Georgia, Florida and Alabama. Pryor handled the misconduct case.
“Judge Ross’s misconduct seriously undermines judicial integrity and erodes trust in the judicial system,” the committee wrote.
Ross did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the committee’s investigation.
The letter was signed by the committee chairman, U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and a subcommittee chairman, U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif. It was cosigned by U.S. Rep. Clay Fuller, one of several Georgia Republicans who have called for impeachment proceedings against Ross, appointed in 2014 on the nomination of then-President Barack Obama.
Since public court filings revealed the allegations in late May, Ross has acknowledged in several orders that she “had an intimate relationship with an APD officer” and that her attendance at an election event sponsored by Willis’ campaign could be perceived as problematic.
Ross recused herself from an election-related case at the federal government’s request and has denied other recusal requests based on the allegations. In one order, she said her relationship with an Atlanta police officer ended in October, citing an 11th Circuit report on the allegations.
In a confidential February filing that later became public, Pryor outlined the misconduct case without naming Ross as the judge involved. He explained the judge was ultimately forthright about the allegations despite initially lying about them, and that is one reason the judge was reprimanded privately.
The punishment included sending apology letters to former clerks who had reported the discomfort they felt when hearing the judge, subsequently identified as Ross in multiple media reports, having sex in her chambers during work hours.
On Tuesday, the committee asked Pryor to answer several questions by Sept. 15, including why Ross was privately punished for “severe” misconduct, whether anyone on the 11th Circuit thought a stronger punishment was warranted, and how her “lenient punishment” supports public trust in the judicial system.
The committee said Ross was ordered to resend apology letters to former clerks because her initial letters were " vague and insincere."
It also asked Pryor if the 11th Circuit investigated how Ross’ attendance at a political campaign event may have influenced any of her cases.
In its report, the 11th Circuit said the judge’s affair with the police officer lasted two years, noting the judge did not preside over any case in which either the officer or the police department was a party between Jan. 1, 2022, and Oct. 10, 2025.