Shortly after Congressman Max Miller (R-Ohio) went live on X to defend himself against recent reporting by Mother Jones documenting allegations of domestic violence against his ex-wife, Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) posted his first in-depth public comment on the matter, saying Miller is unfit to hold office.
“As he has admitted privately, Max Miller needs serious psychological help. He is a danger to my daughter, and I hold my breath every minute he has custody of my granddaughter,” Moreno, whose daughter was married to Miller, wrote. “If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them. He should not serve in the House of Representatives. I believe Max Miller needs to seek professional help to end the clear pattern of abuse he has left in his wake. I believe he should not be free to continue endangering others until he does.”
As Mother Jones reported on July 18, Miller’s ex-wife, Emily Moreno, told detectives that Miller had previously held a gun to her head, thrown hot water at her, and shoved her against the wall. She told police about these alleged incidents as they were investigating how Miller and Moreno’s toddler ended up with a broken collarbone. (The investigation into potential child abuse was ultimately “unsubstantiated”—meaning there was not enough evidence to prove neglect or abuse.)
Miller has denied ever hurting women. In his X live video Sunday morning, he blamed the “left-wing media” for reporting on allegations made by a woman with “mental health challenges.”
But Emily Moreno is not the only woman that Miller has been accused of perpetrating violence against. In 2021, Politico cited multiple witnesses in reporting that Miller had thrown a woman down the stairs after she rejected his advances. That woman recently told Mother Jones that the night in question remains “one of the more traumatic nights of my life.”
During the first Trump administration, Miller’s behavior toward women also came under scrutiny when former White House press Secretary Stephanie Grisham accused a fellow Trump staffer of assaulting her. Miller sued Grisham for defamation at the time, stating in his lawsuit that people knew she was referring to him. Miller denied hurting her, too, and the two reached a confidential settlement in the lawsuit. Grisham is now suing Miller for violating the terms of that settlement.
Sen. Moreno is now the first Republican lawmaker to speak publicly about the allegations Miller faces; however, Politico reported earlier this week that some Republicans are “silently sweating” the accusations, with one operative calling the situation, “Graham Platner on steroids.”
Alex Nguyen contributed reporting.