Trending Now - DOJ Calls for Judge's Recusal in Georgia Election Case

WHO:

AP News - U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, President Trump.

WHAT:

AP News - The U.S. Department of Justice is requesting Judge Eleanor Ross to recuse herself from a case involving Georgia election records.

AP News - The Justice Department has sued multiple states for statewide voter lists.

AP News - A hearing in the election records case is scheduled for Wednesday, but the Justice Department has requested a delay due to the recusal motion.

AP News - The Judicial Council of the 11th Circuit imposed a private reprimand on the unnamed federal judge for attending a partisan event and initially lying about it.

WHERE:

AP News - The case is being overseen by a federal judge in the 11th Judicial Circuit, which includes Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.

AP News - The event attended by the judge was hosted by the district attorney’s campaign in Fulton County, Georgia.

WHEN:

AP News - Judge Eleanor Ross was nominated in January 2014 and confirmed by the Senate in November 2014.

AP News - The Judicial Council of the 11th Circuit affirmed the private reprimand order on May 22.

AP News - The Justice Department's filing was made on a Friday.

WHY:

AP News - The Justice Department argues that the judge's attendance at a partisan event raises questions about her impartiality in a case involving President Trump.

AP News - The Justice Department claims that an "objective reasonable observer" would perceive the judge's presence at the event as an endorsement of Fani Willis and her actions.

HOW:

AP News - The Justice Department's motion for recusal is based on the judge's attendance at a party celebrating the election of a Democrat known for prosecuting a Republican President for alleged election interference.

(UPDATED May 30, 2026 19:19 UTC)

The U.S. Department of Justice is requesting that Judge Eleanor Ross recuse herself from a case involving Georgia election records, citing concerns over her impartiality due to her attendance at a partisan event hosted by Fulton County's district attorney. The Justice Department has also sued multiple states for statewide voter lists and is seeking a delay in a hearing scheduled for Wednesday, following the recusal motion. This situation comes after the Judicial Council of the 11th Circuit issued a private reprimand to the judge for her actions, which the Justice Department argues could lead an "objective reasonable observer" to view her presence as an endorsement of the district attorney's actions against President Trump.