Federal judge who had sex in chambers apologizes to former clerk as impeachment push ramps up

A federal judge in Georgia has apologized to a former law clerk for “harmful, offensive, and unprofessional behavior” amid allegations she had engaged in sexual activity with a high-ranking uniformed police officer in her office during working hours and within earshot of staff.

The apology comes as two House Republicans from Georgia have filed articles of impeachment for U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross.

“You deserved better than to have your experience marred by my own offensive conflict,” Ross, who serves in the Northern District of Georgia, wrote in a letter last week, adding that her “actions were patently wrong, and there is no excuse,” and her previous letter to the clerk was “entirely deficient, as I did not take full accountability for my actions, and I failed to give you the apology that you deserve.”

“I also want to convey my deepest apologies to you for my false accusation against you,” the letter continued. “Again, I have no excuse and immensely regret my behavior.”

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Ross, nominated by former President Barack Obama in 2014, was disciplined after investigators found she had sex with a police officer in her chambers and then lied about it.

Reps. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., and Clay Fuller, R-Ga., filed separate impeachment resolutions against Ross following the judicial misconduct investigation. Federal judges are appointed for life and can only be removed through impeachment by Congress.

“When judges become political activists or engage in judicial misconduct, Congress bears both the responsibility and the constitutional authority to hold them accountable,” Clyde said. “Judge Ross’ deeply disturbing actions prove she is incapable of displaying integrity or showing impartiality.”

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Ross provided materially false statements to senior judicial officials during the course of an internal inquiry, potentially obstructing efforts to fully assess misconduct concerns and impacting the administration of the court, according to Fuller, who said these issues represent a serious breach of judicial ethics and a serious failure to uphold the basic standards required of federal judges.

“The American people expect and deserve a judiciary system that operates with the highest level of integrity, professionalism, and accountability,” Fuller said. “Judge Ross has no place on the federal bench.”

“This behavior is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated on any level within our courts, and most certainly not in the State of Georgia,” Fuller added.

The investigation, initiated by 11th U.S. Circuit Chief Judge William Pryor, also examined allegations that Ross attended a partisan political event, failed to properly supervise clerks and yelled and cursed at staff. A special committee ultimately found that Ross had sex in the courthouse, attended a partisan event and initially lied when confronted with the allegations.

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Ross received a “private reprimand” that did not publicly name her. She also agreed not to seek the position of chief judge for the district when eligible and to write apology letters to six former law clerks.

Clyde filed three articles of impeachment against Ross, accusing her of improper sexual activity in chambers, attending a partisan political event and obstructing an official proceeding. Clyde’s resolution states that Ross engaged in an extramarital affair from roughly October 2023 through October 2025 with high-ranking Atlanta Police Department officer Kelley Collier, and that the relationship was not disclosed to judges, court staff or litigants.

The articles allege that Ross and Collier had sex in Ross’ chambers during business hours, and that at least three former clerks heard sounds from the judge’s chambers, creating what the resolution described as an uncomfortable workplace.

“She’s simply unfit to remain a U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of Georgia, which is why I’m leading the charge to impeach Judge Ross and ultimately remove her from the bench,” Clyde concluded.

Cosponsors of his articles of impeachment include 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.

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Fuller filed a separate impeachment article, saying Ross “engaged in extra-marital affairs with a high ranking officer of the Atlanta police department 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’ campaign the evening before she presided over a criminal revocation proceeding. The resolution says Ross told interns and staff the next morning that she had consumed “too many martinis” at the campaign event.

Ross told investigators she attended a “mixer” for former employees of a district attorney’s office where she used to work, but said it was in a separate room from the victory party.

The articles further accuse Ross of making “numerous, material false statements” to Pryor and the chief district judge when she initially responded to the allegations. The resolution says Ross denied having sexual intercourse in her office or anywhere else in the courthouse and said she was “astounded and confused” by the allegation.

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Ross did not recant those statements until Oct. 10, 2025, after the special committee had gathered corroborating evidence. The resolution says the committee declined to treat the recantation as absolution because it came only after Ross likely knew her false statements had been, or were about to be, exposed.

Pryor first asked Ross to respond to the allegations last fall. Ross replied the same day and “specifically denied” them, then suggested in a follow-up email that the law clerk might have invented the claims in retaliation for being required to work in the office.

The special committee reviewed logs and security footage showing that an officer had frequently visited Ross’ chambers in uniform around lunchtime. Six clerks recalled seeing someone matching the officer’s description, and three remembered overhearing what might have been sexual activity in the judge’s office.

The committee found that clerks described an “eggshell culture,” but it did not find evidence of abusive behavior.

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The House Judiciary Committee will decide whether to open impeachment proceedings against Ross. If the House were to impeach her, the Senate would 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.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.