A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that Eleanor L. Ross, judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, engaged in conduct that falls beneath the dignity of her office.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 808 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 808

 Expressing the sense of the Senate that Eleanor L. Ross, judge of the 
  United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, 
    engaged in conduct that falls beneath the dignity of her office.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 21, 2026

 Mrs. Blackburn submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
                   to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Expressing the sense of the Senate that Eleanor L. Ross, judge of the 
  United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, 
    engaged in conduct that falls beneath the dignity of her office.

Whereas, between October 2023 and October 2025, Eleanor L. Ross, judge of the 
        United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, 
        engaged in a sexual relationship with a high-ranking official of the 
        Atlanta Police Department inside her judicial chambers during regular 
        business hours, including while actively presiding over criminal cases;
Whereas these activities were conducted within close proximity to the judicial 
        staff of Judge Ross, including at least 3 of her then-law clerks;
Whereas, on September 30, 2025, Eleventh Circuit Chief Judge William H. Pryor, 
        Jr., received a complaint about this behavior from a law clerk of Judge 
        Ross and subsequently appointed a special committee to investigate the 
        complaint;
Whereas the special committee determined that Judge Ross lied to Chief Judge 
        Pryor, as well as to the Chief Judge of the United States District Court 
        for the Northern District of Georgia, regarding this sexual activity 
        that was conducted in her chambers;
Whereas Judge Ross falsely stated that she had ``never engaged in sexual 
        intercourse in [her] office, nor anywhere else in the Courthouse'', that 
        she was ``not sure who this allegation concerns or whether it is alleged 
        to have occurred with different individuals'', and that she was 
        ``astounded and confused, and [had] no idea what this clerk is referring 
        to'';
Whereas Judge Ross did not retract these false statements until October 10, 
        2025, nearly 2 weeks after making them, by which time the special 
        committee had already collected substantial corroborating evidence, 
        including a review of security camera footage and sign-in logs, 
        background research on the high-ranking law enforcement official, 
        interviews of 5 former law clerks of Judge Ross, inspection of the 
        layout of the chambers of Judge Ross, and laboratory testing of 
        furniture in the chambers of Judge Ross;
Whereas the special committee concluded that Judge Ross engaged in misconduct in 
        her office during court business hours and made materially false and 
        misleading statements to Chief Judge Pryor and Chief District Judge 
        Leigh Martin May that had a detrimental effect on the investigation of 
        the misconduct of Judge Ross and, more broadly, the administration of 
        justice;
Whereas the behavior of Judge Ross violated multiple provisions of the Code of 
        Conduct for United States Judges, including--

    (1) canon 2, which states that a judge should avoid impropriety and the 
appearance of impropriety in all activities;

    (2) canon 2(A), which adds, ``A judge should respect and comply with 
the law and should act at all times in a manner that promotes public 
confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary.''; and

    (3) the commentary to canon 2(A), which notes, ``Public confidence in 
the judiciary is eroded by irresponsible or improper conduct by judges, 
including harassment and other inappropriate workplace behavior.''; and

Whereas there is sufficient evidence to conclude that Judge Ross engaged in 
        conduct that falls beneath the dignity of her office: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) Judge Ross made materially false and misleading 
        statements to the special committee of the United States Court 
        of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit;
            (2) Judge Ross engaged in behavior that does not live up to 
        the high standards our nation expects of the Federal judiciary; 
        and
            (3) Judge Ross's conduct should be condemned.
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