Georgia Judge Eleanor Ross steps aside from election case following relationship with police officer

Federal Judge Recuses Herself from Georgia Election Case

A federal judge, who faced disciplinary action after being found to have engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a police officer at the Capitol and later attending a partisan event, has stepped back from a case regarding Georgia’s election records. This decision came after the U.S. Department of Justice raised concerns about her impartiality.

The Justice Department requested that District Judge Eleanor Ross recuse herself after it was revealed she attended an event for Fulton County District Attorney Fannie Willis, who was involved in prosecuting former President Donald Trump.

On Tuesday, Ross submitted her own order of dismissal, stating it was done “out of an abundance of caution” regarding potential biases.

She had been overseeing the Justice Department’s lawsuit against Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger that sought access to unredacted statewide voter lists.

In her explanation, Ross noted the deeply polarizing nature of both Trump’s current legal issues and Willis’s earlier actions, suggesting that her attendance could be perceived as supporting the district attorney’s stance, even if she was there merely to reconnect with a former colleague.

Ross had previously received a “private disciplinary action” following an investigation that revealed she had sexual relations with a high-ranking police officer within earshot of court staff, attended a partisan event, and initially lied about the allegations when questioned.

The investigation report indicated she participated in an event linked to the district attorney’s campaign.

She mentioned that the district attorney had been acquainted with the officer since 1999 and acknowledged attending a more private gathering with former colleagues from the district attorney’s office during the event.

Ross formerly worked in the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, where she had previously overlapped with Willis before Willis became the district attorney.

In August 2023, Willis secured an indictment against Trump and 18 others, claiming they were part of a larger effort to challenge the results of the 2020 election in Georgia.