Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio is unable or unwilling to say if his daughter Emily Moreno’s ex-husband, Rep. Max Miller, should resign after Emily accused the Ohio congressman of domestic violence, including breaking their daughter’s — the senator’s granddaughter’s — collarbone.
“I don’t know,” Moreno told political outlet NOTUS on Friday, July 31, when he was asked if Miller should be replaced in a contested race that could determine which political party controls the House.
According to court documents obtained by Mother Jones and The New York Times, Emily — who filed for divorce in 2024 — has accused her ex of throwing hot water on her body, holding a gun to her head, pushing her with enough force to hurt her and breaking their daughter’s collarbone.
Miller has vehemently denied the allegations, claiming his ex-wife is not “all there.” He has subsequently sued Emily for defamation, according to The Guardian.
Like Moreno, many Republicans are either staying silent or continuing to support Rep. Miller in the wake of the allegations.
“While we won’t dignify this baseless attacks by Democrats and their media allies, Senator Moreno will not speak on active litigation involving his family,” Raagan McCarthy, a spokesperson for Sen. Bernie, told NOTUS in a statement.
Current Speaker of the House Mike Johnson told reporters, “The key word here is ‘allegation,’” when asked about the domestic violence claims levied against the congressman.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, also a Republican, told a local ABC affiliate news station that while the allegations are “serious and certainly troubling,” he believes “the people” of Rep. Miller’s district “are going to have to weigh the facts,” falling short of calling for the congressman to resign or drop out.
“They’re the ones who decide who they want to represent them,” DeWine added.
President Donald Trump — who has been credibly accused of sexual assault by over a dozen women, including his late ex-wife Ivana Trump, and was ordered by a judge to pay E. Jean Carroll $5.6 million after a jury found him liable for sexually assaulting her — gave Rep. Miller his “complete and total endorsement” in May, adding that the rep “will not let you down.”
Miller is just one of many sitting or would-be politicians on both sides of the political aisle to stand accused of gross misconduct.
In July, Graham Platner, a Democrat, withdrew from Main’s senate race among a slew of allegations, including sexual assault, inappropriate messages and abuse. (Graham has maintained his innocence and denied the allegations.)
Former congressman Eric Swalwell, also a Democrat, suspended his gubernatorial run on April 12 before resigning from Congress amid multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. While Swalwell admitted to extramarital conduct, he denied the allegations before ultimately leaving office amid threats of an expulsion vote.
According to a recent Politico poll, 66 percent of MAGA voters who voted for Trump, 80, said they would back a Republican candidate even if “a former partner has accused the Republican candidate of sexual assault” rather than vote for a Democrat.
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