DOJ Seeks Recusal of Georgia Judge in Voter Registration Case Over Misconduct Scandal

May 30, 2026

The Department of Justice on May 30, 2026 asked U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross to recuse herself from a case involving Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger over election records. The Eleventh Circuit's Judicial Council found misconduct including attending a partisan political event and engaging in extramarital sex in chambers. Fani Willis won the Democratic primary for Fulton County District Attorney in May 2024.

DOJ recusal motion

▪The Department of Justice on May 30, 2026 asked U.S. District Court Judge Eleanor Ross to recuse herself from a pending case involving election records.
▪The Department of Justice recusal motion was filed in U.S. District Court in Atlanta.
▪The Department of Justice does not claim in the filing to have independently identified Eleanor Ross as the judge who was disciplined.
▪The Department of Justice cited media reports identifying Eleanor Ross as the same judge who was disciplined for attending a victory party for a district attorney's campaign.

Judicial misconduct findings

▪The unidentified judge initially falsely denied allegations of engaging in extramarital sex in chambers when confronted about them.
▪CNBC asked two of Eleanor Ross's clerks to ask her to confirm to a reporter whether she is the judge disciplined by the Judicial Council.
▪Eleanor Ross did not respond to CNBC queries about whether she is the judge disciplined by the Judicial Council.
▪The Eleventh Circuit's Judicial Council found that the unidentified judge engaged in extramarital sex in chambers with a high-ranking police officer in earshot of their staff.
▪The Eleventh Circuit's Judicial Council found that a 'Subject Judge' committed judicial misconduct by attending a partisan and political event.
▪The 11th Circuit sanctions on the unidentified judge included refraining from sitting on any Judicial Conference committee.
▪The 11th Circuit imposed sanctions on the unidentified judge that included ordering them to write letters of apology to six former law clerks who were interviewed in the probe.
▪The 11th Circuit sanctions on the unidentified judge included foregoing service as the chief judge in the federal district where they sit.
▪Eleanor Ross was nominated as a federal judge by then-President Barack Obama in 2014.

Fani Willis victory party

▪Fani Willis prosecuted President Donald Trump for an alleged conspiracy to overturn the results of his 2020 election loss in Georgia to former President Joe Biden.
▪Eleanor Ross served as senior assistant district attorney in the Fulton County District Attorney's Office from 1998 through 2002.
▪Fani Willis won the Democratic primary for Fulton County District Attorney in May 2024.
▪A photo from Fani Willis' primary election victory party in May 2024 appears to show Eleanor Ross standing in the background holding what appears to be a martini glass.

Georgia election records lawsuit

▪The Department of Justice lawsuit against Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger is part of a probe to ascertain the state's compliance with federal election law.
▪The Eleventh Judicial Circuit comprises federal courts in Georgia, Florida and Alabama.
▪The Department of Justice is suing Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger over his refusal to turn over election records to the Justice Department.