In a second apology letter, Judge Eleanor Ross admitted her actions were “patently wrong.” Some House Republicans are pushing for her impeachment.
The apologies came after a report published by The New York Times. It revealed Judge Ross’s yearslong affair with a police commander in her court chambers and other ethical issues.
Judge Ross, a veteran federal judge in Atlanta, expressed regret in letters to her former clerks. She stated, “I have no excuse and immensely regret my behavior.” Her admissions followed a rebuke from a chief judge and remarks from former clerks criticizing her previous apologies as dismissive.
The scandal highlights the leniency often granted to federal judges, who hold lifetime appointments. It also raises concerns about a disciplinary system where judges oversee their colleagues’ conduct.
Interviewed by The New York Times, three former clerks reported hearing Ross’s intimate encounters through her office door. They also accused her of delegating excessive responsibilities, such as rubber-stamping their draft orders. A clerk reported this behavior last year, leading to a judicial inquiry and a private reprimand.
Following the disciplinary action by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit’s judicial council, Ross agreed to send apology letters to six former clerks. However, The Times noted some clerks were displeased by the letters’ brevity.
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