Ohio Republican Rep. Max Miller faces mounting legal disputes as domestic abuse allegations from his ex-wife threaten to unravel his reelection bid in what was once a reliably Republican seat. Emily Moreno, daughter of Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno, filed a restraining order against Miller on Thursday, July 31, 2026, accusing him of harassing her attorney amid a broader custody dispute.
The restraining order filing marks the latest escalation in a bitter legal battle between Miller and Moreno. According to court documents and police reports obtained by outlets including Mother Jones, Moreno has alleged that Miller held a gun to her head, poured hot water on her, and broke their young daughter’s collarbone. Miller has denied all allegations.
In court filings this week, Moreno alleged that Miller has repeatedly had physical and verbal altercations with her attorney, Andrew Zashin, according to CBS News. Miller’s campaign spokesperson, Abigail Angelos, said in a statement that “the court has continued to permit him joint custody of his child. If there were credible evidence supporting these outrageous accusations, that simply would not be the case.” A spokesperson for Moreno countered that “there is a demonstrable pattern of repeated violent and dangerous behavior and the filing speaks for itself.”
Miller previously sued Moreno for defamation in May 2026, claiming she made “false, malicious, and defamatory statements” accusing him of being violent and abusive. Moreno invoked Ohio’s new anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) law to seek dismissal of the defamation case. According to reporting, Miller also dropped a separate defamation lawsuit against former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham in 2023 after reaching a confidential settlement.
The abuse allegations have drawn sharp responses from Democratic lawmakers. The leadership of the Democratic Women’s Caucus called the allegations “deeply disturbing,” and the Gabby Giffords gun violence prevention organization called on Miller to resign, stating that “Congress is no place for violent abusers who attack their family and hold a gun to their wife’s head.” Democratic candidate Brian Poindexter, an ironworker challenging Miller for his House seat, said in a statement: “If all the allegations against Congressman Miller prove to be true, Max Miller should be in jail, not worried about retaining a seat in Congress.”
Republican leadership has remained largely silent. When asked by CNN whether Miller should resign, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, perhaps the most prominent Ohio Republican in Congress, called the matter “a family matter” and praised Miller as “a good man.” Speaker Mike Johnson deferred questions to the House Ethics Committee, saying “the key word there is allegation” and that Republicans have “a process here.”
One anonymous Republican operative told Politico that fellow Republicans are “burying their heads in the sand,” calling the situation “Graham Platner on steroids,” a reference to the Maine Democrat who recently ended his Senate campaign following sexual assault allegations. The operative warned that Democratic attack ads targeting GOP voters over Miller’s alleged abuse of the daughter of a pro-Trump senator could damage turnout and affect other Republican candidates.
The timing adds pressure on Republicans. August 5, 2026 is the deadline for Miller to be removed from the ballot. Miller won the Republican primary on May 5, 2026, and is now running in the general election in Ohio’s 7th Congressional District, a Cleveland-area seat that has traditionally favored Republicans. However, the Cook Political Report has upgraded Democrats’ chances to flip the seat, citing the allegations and Poindexter’s candidacy.
Moreno is the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno, who has made little public comment on the legal battle. A spokesperson for the senator said his “top priority is the safety and well-being of his daughter and granddaughter,” and that he would not “litigate these matters in the media.” Other prominent Ohio Republicans, including Gov. Mike DeWine, have said they are “troubled” by the allegations but have deferred the matter to voters and the legal system.
House Democratic campaign officials have signaled they are ready to capitalize on the controversy. House Majority PAC, a super PAC aligned with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, has already spent over $1 million in the Cleveland media market and indicated it is “willing to do whatever it takes to take back the House.”
Sources
- Politico — detailed reporting on Republican silence, the August 5 ballot deadline, and GOP operative commentary on the political fallout
- CBS News — court filings detailing Moreno’s allegations of altercations with Miller’s attorney
- ABC News — confirmation of police reports and the restraining order filing
- Washington Post — reporting on Moreno’s allegations and the custody dispute
- Mother Jones — police reports and court documents detailing abuse allegations
- The Hill — Gabby Giffords organization’s call for Miller’s resignation
- Ohio Capital Journal — reporting on Miller’s defamation lawsuit against Moreno and his settlement with Grisham
- CNN — Jim Jordan’s statement characterizing the dispute as a “family matter”
