Ohio Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno said his former son-in-law, Rep. Max Miller, “should not serve” in Congress on Sunday over domestic abuse allegations levied by Moreno’s daughter, marking a rare public rebuke of a fellow Republican on the sensitive family matter.
“As he has admitted privately, Max Miller needs serious psychological help,” Moreno said on X Sunday morning. “He is a danger to my daughter, and I hold my breath every minute he has custody of my granddaughter.”
Miller, a two-term Republican congressman representing Ohio’s 7th District, responded hours later on a livestream, denying all allegations and announcing he will remain in his reelection race. “No court, no agency has ever substantiated any allegation of abuse against me. No criminal charge has ever been filed against me,” Miller said. “Every single one of these allegations were already investigated, and I cooperated fully every single time because I had nothing to hide and I have nothing to hide now.”
The public clash escalated a bitter family dispute that has consumed Miller’s reelection campaign. Moreno’s daughter, Emily Moreno, filed for a restraining order against Miller on Thursday, alleging he has repeatedly engaged in physical and verbal altercations with her attorney, Andrew Zashin. In court filings reviewed by multiple outlets, Emily Moreno has accused Miller of throwing her against a wall during a custody exchange, throwing hot water on her, and holding a gun to her head—allegations Miller has denied.
According to police reports and court documents obtained by Mother Jones, investigators examined whether Miller caused their young daughter’s mid-right clavicle fracture in February 2026. A child protection specialist characterized bruising near the fracture as resembling a “handprint,” though the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services investigation was ultimately marked “unsubstantiated” for lack of sufficient evidence. Emily Moreno told police she discovered the injury and took the child to an emergency room.
Miller sued Emily Moreno for defamation in May, claiming she was trying to “malign his character” and “undermine his odds at re-election to Congress,” according to Politico. A judge dismissed Miller’s own domestic violence case against Emily Moreno this week after finding he “was not under any apparent infirmity and did not appear to have been threatened by or in fear of” her, court documents show.
Miller is not the first woman to accuse the congressman of violence. Stephanie Grisham, former White House press secretary under President Trump, wrote in a 2021 Washington Post excerpt that Miller “got physical” with her when they were dating in 2020. Miller denied those allegations and filed a defamation suit against Grisham, which he later withdrew after the two settled.
The allegations have drawn comparisons to other recent congressional scandals that forced resignations. In April 2026, Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California and Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas both resigned from Congress amid separate sexual misconduct allegations. Swalwell faced accusations of sexual assault from multiple women, while Gonzales was accused of engaging in a coercive sexual relationship with a staffer. Both men denied wrongdoing but stepped down rather than face expulsion proceedings.
Miller has indicated no intention to follow suit. Republicans have until Wednesday, August 5, to remove him from the ballot if they choose to replace him as the party’s nominee for Ohio’s 7th District, a safe Republican seat. The district leans heavily Republican, but Democrats now see the race as a potential pickup opportunity given the mounting legal battles and public scrutiny.
Sources
- CNN — Moreno’s statement on X and Miller’s livestream response on Sunday
- Politico — Miller’s defamation lawsuit against Emily Moreno, his statement denying allegations, and Republican silence on the matter
- Mother Jones — extensive court filings and police reports detailing allegations of physical abuse, drug use, and verbal misconduct spanning multiple women
- ECIKS.org — Emily Moreno’s restraining order filing, court-ordered dismissal of Miller’s case against her, and details of alleged incidents
- ABC News — Miller’s reelection campaign facing scrutiny and police reports on domestic abuse allegations
- The Guardian — Allegations from Stephanie Grisham and Miller’s defamation suit against her
- NBC News, AP, C-SPAN — Swalwell and Gonzales resignations from Congress in April 2026 over sexual misconduct allegations
