Rep. Max Miller of Ohio announced Tuesday he will request a House Ethics Committee investigation into himself to address domestic abuse allegations made by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, as pressure mounts for the Republican congressman to step aside from his reelection campaign.
“In light of all the renewed interest in my family affairs I am going to file my own paperwork for an ethics investigation into myself to clear my name from these horrific attacks on myself and family,” Miller said in a post on X. “I have absolutely nothing to hide.”
Hours after Miller’s announcement, the House Ethics Committee confirmed it had opened an investigation into whether the congressman engaged in “domestic violence and abuse or illegal drug use in violation of the Code of Official Conduct.” The investigation could take weeks or months to complete, according to NBC News.
The allegations stem from a bitter custody and divorce dispute with Moreno, the daughter of Republican Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno. Moreno has accused Miller of scalding, hitting, and threatening her while they were married. Miller has repeatedly denied the allegations.
The couple married in 2022 and finalized their divorce last year, according to reporting by the Associated Press. A July 2026 investigation by Mother Jones, based on thousands of pages of court filings and police reports, detailed allegations of violent behavior by Miller against multiple women, including claims that he held a gun to Moreno’s head and threw hot water at her.
Democratic lawmakers had been calling for an ethics investigation for weeks. The House Democratic Women’s Caucus formally requested a probe on July 30, stating that “allegations of violence against women and children have to be met with the utmost seriousness,” according to Mother Jones.
Miller’s decision to request his own investigation is unusual. Lawmakers typically do not voluntarily submit to ethics probes. However, a precedent exists: in 2008, then-House Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel, a Democrat from New York, asked the Ethics Committee to investigate allegations he had improperly used congressional letterhead. That strategy backfired for Rangel, who was found guilty of violating 11 House ethics rules after a two-year probe and was censured by the full House, according to NBC News.
Miller continues to deny all allegations and has said he will remain in his reelection race for Ohio’s 7th Congressional District, which he won two years ago with just over 51% of the vote. Sen. Bernie Moreno broke his silence Sunday, declaring that Miller “needs serious psychological help” and is “a danger to my daughter,” and that “he should not serve in the House of Representatives.”
President Trump, who employs Miller as a political ally, has said he believes Miller is “a good person” and wants to “let the families figure that out,” though Trump told Miller on Monday that his candidacy “doesn’t look good,” according to a source cited by the Los Angeles Times. The deadline for Miller to withdraw from the ballot is Wednesday, August 7, 2026.
Sources
- NBC News — Miller’s announcement to request an ethics investigation, the House Ethics Committee’s confirmation of opening an investigation, and the precedent of Charlie Rangel requesting an ethics probe in 2008.
- Los Angeles Times — Miller’s request for an investigation, his statement to “clear my name,” his continued campaign plans, and Trump’s private advice to Miller.
- Associated Press — Details of Miller and Moreno’s marriage timeline, divorce finalization, and allegations against Miller.
- Mother Jones — The July 2026 investigation detailing allegations across thousands of pages of court filings and police reports, including claims of holding a gun to Moreno’s head and throwing hot water, and the House Democratic Women’s Caucus call for investigation.
- PBS News — Background on the allegations, Moreno’s restraining order request, and Miller’s defamation lawsuits against his ex-wife and an ex-girlfriend.
