Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) said on Saturday he will make a “special announcement” Sunday morning as pressure mounts for him to announce whether or not he will remain in his House race after the incumbent lawmaker’s past came under renewed scrutiny last week.
Miller’s ex-wife Emily Moreno, the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno (D-OH), has alleged “multiple incidents of physical violence” during their marriage and divorce proceedings, according to police reports obtained by ABC News. Though the allegations against Miller have long been public, they resurfaced this week after Moreno filed a restraining order against her ex-husband and an Aug. 5 deadline to potentially replace Miller quickly approached.
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Miller has denied all allegations of abuse and has said in the past on social media that “the false allegations… are simply an attempt to destroy my personal and professional reputation.” Miller sued Moreno for defamation in May.
“In the police reports, Moreno told police officers that Miller ‘threw her against the wall, which resulted in an obvious grab mark on her upper arm’ and had ‘previously held a gun to her head’ and threw hot water on her,” according to the outlet. “Additionally, the report shows Moreno told the police that her daughter received physical injuries while in Miller’s care.”
Democrats see in Miller’s predicament an opportunity to flip what would otherwise be a safely Republican seat in November’s midterm elections. Ohio Republicans would have to find Miller’s replacement to run against Democratic candidate Brian Poindexter by Wednesday should he choose to drop out of the race.
Miller represents Ohio’s 7th Congressional District, which stretches from parts of the Cleveland metropolitan area to neighboring rural towns. Miller held various roles in Trump’s first administration after working for his 2016 presidential campaign and received the president’s endorsement in his reelection bid.
Former Rep. George Santos told the Washington Examiner on Wednesday he thinks Miller should “step aside and go deal with this in private.” Republican lawmakers at both the state and national levels have otherwise largely remained quiet about Miller and have continued to support him, saying he’s electable and the decision should be up to the voters.
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Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH), a Cleveland-area Democrat, said it would be wise for him to resign, while the House Democrats Women’s Caucus called for an ethics investigation into the Ohio lawmaker.
Miller also reportedly had a brief romantic relationship with former White House aide Stephanie Grisham beginning in 2019. Miller also sued her for defamation after she claimed he was physically abusive, and the two reached a confidential settlement.
