Judge Ross Impeachment Comparison to 2009 Kent Case Raised
The Story
Professor Arthur Hellman, an expert on judicial ethics, wrote a guest post arguing that the House should consider impeaching District Judge Eleanor Ross after a May 22 misconduct finding. Hellman compared Ross’s false statements to the 2009 impeachment of Judge Samuel B. Kent, where lying to a judicial body was deemed grounds for impeachment. The post calls for a bipartisan House Task Force to investigate Ross.
Key Facts
- Judge Eleanor Ross is a District Judge for the Northern District of Georgia.
- The Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability (JC&D) issued a misconduct order on May 22, agreeing that three actions by Ross constituted misconduct.
- One misconduct finding stated Ross “made numerous, material false statements to the Chief Circuit Judge and the Chief District Judge when initially responding to the allegations.”
- The remedial measure ordered was a private reprimand.
- In 2009, the House unanimously agreed to Article III of the impeachment articles against Judge Samuel B. Kent, based on lying to a judicial body.
- Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner said on the House floor that “a judge who lies to a judicial body investigating his conduct … is not fit to remain on the bench.”
- Professor Hellman testified as an expert witness at the hearing on the possible impeachment of Judge Kent.
- Hellman argues the House should establish a bipartisan Task Force to investigate whether Ross should be impeached and should subpoena all records from the Eleventh Circuit Judicial Council.
- The article notes Ross had sex with her paramour several times over a year and exhibited a lack of candor on multiple occasions.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
No open questions identified in the source article.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Judge Eleanor Ross – District Judge, Northern District of Georgia
- Professor Arthur Hellman – Emeritus professor, University of Pittsburgh, author of the guest post
- Judge Samuel B. Kent – Former District Judge impeached in 2009
- Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner – Member of House Judiciary Task Force on Judicial Impeachment in 2009
- Rep. John Conyers – Chairman of House Judiciary Committee in 2009
- Rep. Adam Schiff – Chairman of the Task Force in 2009
Sources: reason.com
