Sen. Bernie Moreno says former son-in-law Max Miller should not serve in
the House
[August 03, 2026]
By MARY CLARE JALONICK and JULIE CARR SMYTH
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno said his former son-in-law,
U.S. Rep. Max Miller, should not be serving in the House and should
“seek professional help” as Miller defended himself against allegations
of domestic abuse in a live video on X on Sunday.
Moreno, who has been publicly restrained in recent months as the bitter
custody dispute has played out between Miller and his daughter Emily,
said in a lengthy post: "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.”
Moreno wrote that 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."
Miller, who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, said Sunday
that he will remain in his race for reelection before a Wednesday
deadline to replace him. Democrats have seen a new opportunity in the
northeast Ohio congressional seat as the Republican incumbent has faced
mounting pressure over the domestic abuse allegations in a bitter and
drawn-out custody battle with his ex-wife.
“I’m not dropping out of this race and I’ll win in November,” said
Miller, who denied abusing his former wife and his daughter.
Asked on Sunday evening if Miller should resign, Trump said that “so far
it's accusations.”
“I'll be looking at it,” Trump said.
Scrutiny of Miller has escalated in recent weeks
Accusations against Miller, who was a White House adviser during Trump’s
first term, have been public for years but have recently drawn increased
scrutiny as back and forth in the case has escalated.
Emily Moreno has said that Miller scalded, hit and threatened her while
they were married. Miller denied those allegations in the video, as he
has in the past.
“It's incredibly upsetting,” Miller said, as he went through a list of
the allegations.
Miller also said he had nothing to do with a broken collarbone on their
2-year-old daughter that led Emily Moreno to contact authorities. The
pair, who were married in 2022 and finalized their divorce last year,
have presented different theories about how the injury occurred,
according to court filings and police reports detailed in an article in
July in the magazine Mother Jones that first revealed the child’s
injury.
Miller accompanied his announcement with the release of a voluminous
cache of investigative and court documents, as well as audio and video
clips, related to the custody dispute.
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Rep.-elect Max Miller, R-Ohio, arrives for new member orientation
check-in and program registration with Emily Moreno in Washington,
Nov. 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades, File)
Spokesperson for Miller's ex-wife says video was ‘shameful’
A spokesperson for Emily Moreno, Stefan Mychajliw, said Sunday that
the video was “shameful.”
“No loving parent would have ever used their daughter as a PR pawn
to save their own political career,” Mychajliw said. “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.”
Sen. Bernie Moreno's statement on Sunday came after he had declined
to comment on the specific allegations for months. Last week, a
spokeswoman issued a statement saying the senator “will not litigate
these matters in the media or respond to baseless public attacks.”
“Senator Moreno’s top priority is the safety and well-being of his
daughter and granddaughter,” said the spokeswoman, Reagan McCarthy.
Potential GOP candidates eye Miller's seat
The senator’s statement was prompting some hand-wringing behind the
scenes in his home state, where Trump-endorsed candidates like
Miller typically win with ease.
Miller's Democratic opponent, Brian Poindexter, said no one facing
such accusations “belongs in the halls of power.”
State Rep. Mike Dovilla, a U.S. Navy veteran and former presidential
appointee to the Office of Personnel Management, and Kevin Coughlin,
a former state senator and representative who ran for the U.S. House
in 2024 and 2026, were among Republicans whose names were being
floated should Miller drop his fall House bid, according to a
high-ranking Republican who discussed the sensitive subject on
condition of anonymity.
Democrats have recently called on Miller to resign, requested a
congressional ethics investigation and suggested more help could be
directed in the fall toward Poindexter.
Miller won reelection two years ago with just over 51% of the vote.
___
Smyth reported from Columbus, Ohio.
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