SouthernWorldwide.com – A federal judge in Georgia has issued a public apology to a former law clerk, acknowledging her “harmful, offensive, and unprofessional behavior” amidst serious allegations of sexual activity within her office. This apology comes as a congressional push for her impeachment gains momentum.
U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross, serving the Northern District of Georgia, admitted in a letter last week that her actions were “patently wrong” and that there is “no excuse.” She stated that her previous communication with the clerk was insufficient, failing to take full accountability and offer the apology the clerk deserved.
The judge further expressed her deepest apologies for a false accusation she made against the clerk, regretting her behavior immensely.
The allegations against Judge Ross include engaging in sexual activity with a high-ranking uniformed police officer in her chambers during working hours, with staff members within earshot. This conduct led to the filing of impeachment articles by two Republican representatives from Georgia.
Judge Ross, nominated by former President Barack Obama in 2014, faced disciplinary action after investigators concluded she had a sexual relationship in her chambers and subsequently lied about it.
Representatives Andrew Clyde and Clay Fuller, both Republicans from Georgia, introduced separate impeachment resolutions following the judicial misconduct investigation. Federal judges hold lifetime appointments and can only be removed from office through an impeachment process by Congress.
Congress has a constitutional responsibility to hold judges accountable when they act as political activists or engage in misconduct, according to Clyde. He asserted that Judge Ross’s actions demonstrate an inability to uphold integrity and impartiality.
Fuller highlighted that Judge Ross provided false statements to senior judicial officials during an internal inquiry, potentially hindering the assessment of misconduct and impacting court administration. He described these actions as a significant breach of judicial ethics and a failure to meet the basic standards expected of federal judges.
The American public expects a judiciary that operates with the highest levels of integrity, professionalism, and accountability, Fuller added, stating that Judge Ross is unfit for the federal bench.
He further emphasized that such behavior is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated within the court system, particularly in Georgia.
The investigation, initiated by Chief Judge William Pryor of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, also looked into claims that Ross attended a partisan political event, inadequately supervised her clerks, and verbally abused staff.
A special committee ultimately found that Ross engaged in sexual activity within the courthouse, attended a partisan event, and initially lied when confronted with the allegations.
As a consequence, Ross received a “private reprimand” that did not publicly identify her. She also agreed to forgo seeking the position of chief judge for her district and to issue apology letters to six former law clerks.
Representative Clyde has filed three articles of impeachment against Ross, citing improper sexual activity in chambers, attending a partisan political event, and obstructing an official proceeding. His resolution details an extramarital affair between Ross and Kelley Collier, a high-ranking officer in the Atlanta Police Department, from approximately October 2023 to October 2025, which was not disclosed to court officials or litigants.
The articles allege that Ross and Collier engaged in sexual intercourse in Ross’s chambers during business hours, and that at least three former clerks overheard sounds from the judge’s office, creating a reportedly uncomfortable work environment.
Clyde concluded that Ross is unfit to serve as a U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of Georgia, leading the effort to impeach and remove her from the bench.
Cosponsors of Clyde’s impeachment articles include Representatives Lauren Boebert, Sheri Biggs, Buddy Carter, John Carter, Paul Gosar, Andy Harris, and Andy Ogles.
Representative Fuller filed a separate impeachment article, asserting that Ross engaged in an extramarital affair with a high-ranking Atlanta police officer within her chambers during official court hours, while actively presiding over criminal matters.
Clyde’s articles also accuse Ross of attending an event hosted by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’s campaign the day before she presided over a criminal revocation proceeding. The resolution states that Ross told interns and staff the following morning that she had consumed “too many martinis” at the event.
Ross informed investigators that she attended a “mixer” for former employees of a district attorney’s office where she previously worked, clarifying that it was in a separate room from the victory party.
The articles further allege that Ross made “numerous, material false statements” to Pryor and the chief district judge when she initially responded to the allegations. The resolution notes that Ross denied having sexual intercourse in her office or anywhere else in the courthouse and expressed astonishment and confusion at the accusation.
Judge Ross did not retract these statements until October 10, 2025, after the special committee had gathered corroborating evidence. The resolution states that the committee did not consider the recantation as a full absolution, as it occurred only after Ross likely knew her false statements had been or were about to be exposed.
Pryor initially requested Ross’s response to the allegations last fall. Ross replied the same day, “specifically denied” them, and subsequently suggested in a follow-up email that the law clerk might have fabricated the claims in retaliation for being required to work in the office.
The special committee reviewed logs and security footage indicating that an officer frequently visited Ross’s chambers in uniform around lunchtime. Six clerks recalled seeing someone matching the officer’s description, and three remembered overhearing what they believed to be sexual activity in the judge’s office.
The committee found that clerks described an “eggshell culture” but did not find evidence of abusive behavior.
The House Judiciary Committee will determine whether to initiate impeachment proceedings against Ross. If the House impeaches her, the Senate will then decide whether to remove her from the federal bench.
“Though I can never fully undo the harm that I have caused you, I hope that my acknowledgment of these failures is a small first step,” Ross wrote in her apology letter to the former clerk. “I will be taking further steps to ensure that this never happens again.”
