After refusing to denounce Rep. Max Miller after his own daughter accused the congressman of domestic violence, Sen. Bernie Moreno is calling the politician a “danger” who is unfit for public office.
“As a father and husband, I can tell you the last two years have been pure hell for my wife Bridget, our daughter Emily, me, and our entire family in the aftermath of Emily’s divorce,” Sen. Moreno, a Republican representing Ohio, said in a statement shared via X on Sunday, August 1. “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.”
He continued, “Our priority has always been protecting our daughter and our granddaughter. Out of concern for the safety of my family, I hoped to keep this matter private but Max Miller’s increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior has made that impossible.”
Sen. Moreno’s daughter, Emily Moreno, has accused her ex-husband, Rep. Miller, also a Republican from Ohio, of domestic violence and abuse. She has alleged via court records obtained by Mother Jones and The New York Times that the congressman threw hot water on her body, held a gun to her head, pushed her with enough force to cause bodily harm and broke their daughter’s collarbone.
Rep. Miller has vehemently denied the allegations and has sued his ex-wife for defamation, according to The Guardian.
Just one day before denouncing Rep. Miller, Sen. Moreno said he didn’t “know” if the embattled congressman should resign and drop out of a consequential Ohio race that could determine which political party controls the House. (In January, Sen. Moreno publicly endorsed Rep. Miller, despite his daughter filing for divorce from the congressman in 2024.)
It appears the senator has now shifted gears and is calling for his former son-in-law to resign from 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,” Sen. Moreno said in the same Sunday written statement. “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.”
He continued, “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. I ran for office because I wanted to make a difference for our country that gave me every opportunity to succeed, and to leave this nation better for my children and grandchildren. That sacrifice has been especially hard on my wife Bridget, whose big heart and steady support have never wavered. I owe it to her, to Emily, and to my granddaughter to speak the truth now.”
Rep. Miller quickly responded to Moreno’s public statement, denying the senator’s claims.
“If my daughter said the same thing to me, I personally wouldn’t wait two years before holding him accountable,” Miller said via X. “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.”
Earlier on Sunday, Rep. Miller released his own video statement, denying his ex-wife’s allegations and claiming she suffers from mental health issues.
“Just want to be clear: no court, no agency has ever substantiated any allegation of abuse against me,” Miller claimed in his Sunday livestream. “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.”
Emily’s spokesperson, Stefan Mychajliw, also shared a public statement in response to Rep. Miller’s claims, calling his response “shameful” and a “bizarre and lie-filled rant” made to “desperately try to save his political career.”
“There is a documented trove of evidence that Miller has a history of violent and dangerous behavior and no amount of victim shaming will change that,” Mychajliw said in a statement on X. “It is despicable and abhorrent that Miller lied on an unhinged and humiliating video for their daughter to watch one day.”
He added, “No loving parent would have ever used their daughter as a PR pawn to save their own political career. Miller can lie and spin on X, but he cannot do so under oath in a court of law. We are confident that justice will prevail in court.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
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