Two Republican congressmen from Georgia have introduced impeachment articles against U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross after a judicial investigation found she engaged in an extramarital affair with a high-ranking police officer in her chambers, attended a partisan political event, and lied to investigators about the misconduct.
Rep. Clay Fuller filed the first impeachment resolution on Monday, with Rep. Andrew Clyde filing a second on Tuesday. The move follows a February 2026 investigation by the Judicial Council of the Eleventh Circuit that documented the alleged misconduct, according to AP News. “Judge Ross’ deeply disturbing actions prove she is incapable of displaying integrity or showing impartiality,” Clyde said in a statement.
The Judicial Council investigation confirmed that Ross engaged in sexual activity with a uniformed law enforcement officer during work hours on multiple occasions within earshot of staff, according to Reuters. The investigation also found she attended a partisan political event and initially lied when questioned about the allegations. Ross received a private reprimand in February following the investigation, which was affirmed by the Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability in May 2026.
It is now up to the House Judiciary Committee to decide whether to open an impeachment inquiry. Federal judges are appointed for life and can only be removed through the impeachment process. Ross was nominated to the Northern District of Georgia in January 2014 by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate in November 2014, according to AP News.
Only 15 federal judges in U.S. history have been impeached, and just 8 of those were convicted by the Senate, according to reporting by Courthouse News. A two-thirds vote in the Senate is required to convict and remove a judge from office. The Constitution specifies that grounds for impeachment are treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.
The investigation revealed that one of Ross’s law clerks filed a misconduct complaint after alleging the judge engaged in sexual activity with the officer on multiple occasions. Six of Ross’s former law clerks were interviewed during the investigation, with three recalling overhearing what may have been sexual activity in the judge’s office, according to AP News. The investigation also found that Ross did not properly supervise her law clerks.
The case has drawn additional scrutiny beyond the impeachment effort. The U.S. Department of Justice separately requested in May 2026 that Ross recuse herself from a case involving Georgia election records, citing the judicial misconduct investigation, according to Reuters. The DOJ noted that the political event Ross attended was hosted by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who led the prosecution of President Trump related to the 2020 election.
Sources
- AP News — Confirmed two Georgia Republicans filed impeachment resolutions against Judge Eleanor Ross; provided investigation details and background on her appointment
- Reuters — Reported on both impeachment articles filed and details of the Judicial Council investigation findings
- 11Alive.com — Reported that Rep. Andrew Clyde filed three articles of impeachment with Rep. Buddy Carter as cosponsor
- Law.com — Confirmed Judicial Council findings and investigation timeline
- Courthouse News — Provided historical context on federal judge impeachments
