A federal decide in Georgia has apologized to a former regulation clerk for “dangerous, offensive, and unprofessional habits” amid allegations she had engaged in sexual exercise with a high-ranking uniformed police officer in her workplace throughout working hours and inside earshot of employees.
The apology comes as two Home Republicans from Georgia have filed articles of impeachment for US District Decide Eleanor Ross.
“You deserved higher than to have your expertise marred by my very own offensive battle,” Ross, who serves within the Northern District of Georgia, wrote in a letter final week, including that her “actions have been patently unsuitable, and there’s no excuse,” and her earlier letter to the clerk was “completely poor, as I didn’t take full accountability for my actions, and I didn’t provide the apology that you just deserve.”
“I additionally wish to convey my deepest apologies to you for my false accusation in opposition to you,” the letter continued. “Once more, I’ve no excuse and immensely remorse my habits.”
Ross, nominated by former President Barack Obama in 2014, was disciplined after investigators discovered she had intercourse with a police officer in her chambers after which lied about it.
Reps. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., and Clay Fuller, R-Ga., filed separate impeachment resolutions in opposition to Ross following the judicial misconduct investigation. Federal judges are appointed for all times and may solely be eliminated via impeachment by Congress.
“When judges turn out to be political activists or interact in judicial misconduct, Congress bears each the duty and the constitutional authority to carry them accountable,” Clyde stated. “Decide Ross’ deeply disturbing actions show she is incapable of displaying integrity or exhibiting impartiality.”
Ross supplied materially false statements to senior judicial officers through the course of an inside inquiry, doubtlessly obstructing efforts to completely assess misconduct issues and impacting the administration of the courtroom, in line with Fuller, who stated these points characterize a severe breach of judicial ethics and a severe failure to uphold the essential requirements required of federal judges.
“The American folks anticipate and deserve a judiciary system that operates with the very best degree of integrity, professionalism, and accountability,” Fuller stated. “Decide Ross has no place on the federal bench.”
“This habits is unacceptable and can’t be tolerated on any degree inside our courts, and most definitely not within the State of Georgia,” Fuller added.
The investigation, initiated by eleventh US Circuit Chief Decide William Pryor, additionally examined allegations that Ross attended a partisan political occasion, didn’t correctly supervise clerks and yelled and cursed at employees. A particular committee in the end discovered that Ross had intercourse within the courthouse, attended a partisan occasion and initially lied when confronted with the allegations.
Ross acquired a “non-public reprimand” that didn’t publicly identify her. She additionally agreed to not search the place of chief decide for the district when eligible and to put in writing apology letters to 6 former regulation clerks.
Clyde filed three articles of impeachment in opposition to Ross, accusing her of improper sexual exercise in chambers, attending a partisan political occasion and obstructing an official continuing. Clyde’s decision states that Ross engaged in an extramarital affair from roughly October 2023 via October 2025 with high-ranking Atlanta Police Division officer Kelley Collier, and that the connection was not disclosed to judges, courtroom employees or litigants.
The articles allege that Ross and Collier had intercourse in Ross’ chambers throughout enterprise hours, and that not less than three former clerks heard sounds from the decide’s chambers, creating what the decision described as an uncomfortable office.
“She’s merely unfit to stay a US District Court docket Decide for the Northern District of Georgia, which is why I’m main the cost to question Decide Ross and in the end take away her from the bench,” Clyde concluded.
Cosponsors of his articles of impeachment embrace Reps. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo.; Sheri Biggs, R-S.C.; Buddy Carter, R-Ga.; John Carter, R-Texas; Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.; Andy Harris, R-Md.; and Andy Ogles, R-Tenn.
Fuller filed a separate impeachment article, saying Ross “engaged in extra-marital affairs with a high-ranking officer of the Atlanta police division inside her chambers throughout official courtroom hours, whereas actively presiding over legal issues.”
Clyde’s articles additionally accuse Ross of attending an occasion hosted by Fulton County District Legal professional Fani Willis’ marketing campaign the night earlier than she presided over a legal revocation continuing.
The decision says Ross advised interns and employees the subsequent morning that she had consumed “too many martinis” on the marketing campaign occasion.
Ross advised investigators she attended a “mixer” for former staff of a district lawyer’s workplace the place she used to work, however stated it was in a separate room from the victory celebration.
The articles additional accuse Ross of creating “quite a few, materials false statements” to Pryor and the chief district decide when she initially responded to the allegations.
The decision says Ross denied having sexual activity in her workplace or wherever else within the courthouse and stated she was “astounded and confused” by the allegation.
Ross didn’t recant these statements till Oct. 10, 2025, after the particular committee had gathered corroborating proof. The decision says the committee declined to deal with the recantation as absolution as a result of it got here solely after Ross possible knew her false statements had been, or have been about to be, uncovered.
Pryor first requested Ross to answer the allegations final fall. Ross replied the identical day and “particularly denied” them, then instructed in a follow-up electronic mail that the regulation clerk may need invented the claims in retaliation for being required to work within the workplace.
The particular committee reviewed logs and safety footage exhibiting that an officer had steadily visited Ross’ chambers in uniform round lunchtime. Six clerks recalled seeing somebody matching the officer’s description, and three remembered overhearing what may need been sexual exercise within the decide’s workplace.
The committee discovered that clerks described an “eggshell tradition,” but it surely didn’t discover proof of abusive habits.
The Home Judiciary Committee will resolve whether or not to open impeachment proceedings in opposition to Ross. If the Home have been to question her, the Senate would resolve whether or not to take away her from the federal bench.
“Although I can by no means absolutely undo the hurt that I’ve triggered you, I hope that my acknowledgment of those failures is a small first step,” Ross wrote in her apology letter to the previous clerk. “I shall be taking additional steps to make sure that this by no means occurs once more.”
