Federal Judge Eleanor Ross Apologizes After Private Reprimand for Courthouse Conduct
U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross issued an apology letter to a former law clerk after an 11th Circuit investigation found she engaged in sexual activity in chambers and initially denied the allegations.
americanthinker.comS. " The letter referenced an earlier "entirely deficient" message in which Ross had not taken full accountability. It also conveyed "deepest apologies" for a "false accusation" against the clerk. " An investigation opened last fall by William Pryor, chief judge of the 11th Circuit, confirmed that Ross engaged in sexual activity with a high-ranking uniformed police officer in her chambers during working hours.
The probe began after one law clerk reported multiple instances of the conduct within earshot of staff. A special committee reviewed logs and security footage showing the officer visiting the chambers in uniform around lunchtime. Six clerks recalled seeing someone matching the officer’s description, and three remembered overhearing what may have been sexual activity.
The investigation also found that Ross attended a partisan event and initially lied when confronted. When asked to respond to the clerk’s allegations, Ross "specifically denied" each one and speculated in a follow-up email that the clerk might have invented the claims in retaliation for being required to work in the office.
Three clerks recounted bringing summer interns to watch Ross preside over a criminal case, after which the judge declined lunch with the interns, acknowledging she had consumed too many martinis the night before at a primary election victory party for a district attorney friend.
Judge Ross admitted to having an extramarital sexual relationship with the officer but denied allegations that she mistreated staff. She acknowledged attending a "mixer" of former employees of a district attorney’s office where she used to work, clarifying it was in a separate room from the victory party.
