Republican Rep. Max Miller is facing mounting pressure from members of the GOP after Sen. Bernie Moreno, his former father-in-law, publicly declared that the Ohio congressman “should not serve in the House of Representatives” amid abuse allegations. Moreno’s remarks, made just days before Ohio’s ballot deadline, prompted several Republican lawmakers to either back his position or voice concern over the accusations against Miller, who has denied the allegations of abuse, saying they have been found unsubstantiated.
Bernie Moreno publicly calls for Max Miller to resign
On Sunday, August 2, Moreno, whose daughter Emily was previously married to Miller, said his family has endured “pure hell” over the past two years following the former couple’s divorce. “It has been horrific to watch this play out in full public view, all while knowing an innocent two-year-old girl is caught in the middle,” Moreno wrote on X. “Our priority has always been protecting our daughter and our granddaughter.”
Moreno added that he had hoped to keep the matter private but argued that “Max Miller’s increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior has made that impossible.”
“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,” Moreno continued.
Max Miller rejects the allegations against him
Miller responded by denying the abuse allegations and, in turn, accused Moreno of timing his comments for political reasons. “If my daughter said the same thing to me, I personally wouldn’t wait two years before holding him accountable,” Miller wrote. “You know this isn’t true and the only reason you are speaking out now is to hide from your own media circus. This is all political.”
In a statement provided to Newsweek on Monday, August 3, Miller said, “I have never [spoken] publicly about Sen. Moreno until he made defamatory and false statements about me. I have had several private conversations with him about his daughter’s mental health, and he knows that what she is alleging is not true.”
Republicans turn on Max Miller after Bernie Moreno’s speaks out
Moreno’s statement prompted several Republican lawmakers to rally behind him and make similar comments about Miller calling for his resignation. Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas said Miller should resign based on what he knows about the case. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia said she would support Moreno’s position if he believes Miller should step down, although she acknowledged she had not closely followed the dispute.
Others expressed concern without explicitly calling for Miller’s resignation. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said, “The accusations are very serious, and if there is truth to them, I am one who says that our elected officials need to be held to high standards. And certainly, when it comes to allegations of domestic abuse, child abuse, that’s not what we want in our lawmakers.”
Sen. Cynthia Lummis said she would be surprised if Moreno were being untruthful, while Senators Jim Justice and Rick Scott said they lacked sufficient information but trust Moreno’s judgment.
After reports revealed that Republican lawmakers were backing Moreno, Miller defended himself again, writing, “Every accusation that has been thrown my way has been found unsubstantiated by the court system as well as mine and my ex-wife’s court appointed mediator (who is a psychologist and mandatory reporter).”
Max Miller refuses to leave Ohio’s congressional ballot
The controversy intensified as Miller approached the deadline to withdraw from Ohio’s congressional ballot, a move that would have allowed Republicans to select a replacement candidate. President Donald Trump reportedly privately called Miller on Monday to warn that “things aren’t looking good” and question his reelection prospects. According to The Wall Street Journal, Miller asked Trump for a public endorsement, although the congressman later said the president was “supportive of me over the phone.”
Despite growing concern among Republican strategists over the competitiveness of the Cleveland-area district, Miller refuses to leave the race. “There’s no chance that I’m removing myself from this race,” he said during a Tuesday evening interview with Newsmax, maintaining that he retains strong support in the district despite renewed scrutiny.
Democrats have meanwhile sought to capitalize on the controversy, with challenger Brian Poindexter arguing that Miller’s “own party won’t stand behind him” and citing Moreno’s criticism as evidence that the incumbent is unfit for office.