U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross has recused herself from a Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit against Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger over voter roll records. The DOJ requested her disqualification, citing her attendance at a campaign event for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who prosecuted former President Donald Trump. Ross, an Obama appointee, granted the motion, stating she recused herself "out of an abundance of caution for the potential perception of bias."
The DOJ argued that Ross's attendance at the event "creates the appearance of bias" in an election-related case. Ross acknowledged that her presence at the event, hosted by Willis's campaign, could be perceived as support for the district attorney's position, even if she attended to see former colleagues. The judge previously worked in the Fulton County District Attorney's Office and overlapped with Willis before Willis became district attorney.
Ross also faced prior disciplinary action after an investigation found she had sex with a police officer in her chambers and initially lied about the allegations. She received a private reprimand for these actions. The DOJ's motion was signed by Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, who expressed satisfaction with the outcome.
The lawsuit centers on the DOJ's request for an unredacted statewide voter list from Georgia. Ross's recusal means the case will now be reassigned to another judge.