Miller says he will remain in the race as abuse allegations and a family custody dispute draw wider scrutiny.
WASHINGTON — Republican U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno has called on his former son-in-law, Ohio Rep. Max Miller, to leave Congress, sharply raising the political stakes surrounding domestic violence allegations that Miller denies.
Moreno’s public break with Miller came as the congressman faced growing questions about accusations made by Moreno’s daughter, Emily Moreno, during a continuing custody battle. Miller said in an online video that he did not abuse his former wife or their daughter and would not withdraw from his November reelection race.
“I’m not dropping out of this race and I’ll win in November,” Miller said as he addressed the allegations. He released court and investigative materials alongside his defense and said no accusations against him had been substantiated or led to criminal charges.
Bernie Moreno had largely declined to discuss the dispute in public before issuing a statement Sunday. He said Miller lacked the character to remain in office and should seek professional help. The senator also said he feared for the safety of his daughter and granddaughter when the child was in Miller’s custody.
The senator’s statement brought an unusually personal conflict into the center of Ohio Republican politics. Miller represents the state’s 7th Congressional District, a Northeast Ohio seat he won with slightly more than 51% of the vote in 2024. Democrats now view the allegations and Republican divisions as an opening in a district that had favored the GOP.
Emily Moreno has accused Miller of scalding, hitting and threatening her during their marriage. She has also raised concerns about a broken collarbone suffered by the former couple’s 2-year-old daughter. Miller has denied harming either of them, and the parents have offered conflicting accounts regarding the child’s injury. No public finding has established that Miller caused it.
A spokesperson for Emily Moreno criticized Miller’s online presentation, arguing that he used information about their daughter to protect his political career. Miller has said he released the records because he needed to answer allegations that had spread through news reports and political discussions.
The former couple married in 2022 and finalized their divorce in 2025. Their continued custody dispute has produced court claims, competing statements and separate civil litigation. Miller sued Emily Moreno and one of her lawyers for defamation after the allegations became public.
Miller has faced an earlier accusation from Stephanie Grisham, a former White House press secretary and former girlfriend. Grisham accused him of physical and emotional abuse in 2021. Miller denied her claims, sued her for defamation and later voluntarily dismissed the case.
Democrats have called for Miller to resign and have sought a congressional ethics investigation. His Democratic opponent, union ironworker Brian Poindexter, has argued that a person facing such accusations should not hold public power. Miller has said voters will reject the criticism and return him to office.
Miller is serving his second term in the House and sits on the Ways and Means and Foreign Affairs committees. He previously worked in President Donald Trump’s first administration and has received Trump’s political support. The White House had not announced a change in its position on Miller as of Monday.
Miller remains a candidate for reelection while the family-court dispute, defamation claims and questions surrounding the allegations continue. No criminal charges related to the reported domestic violence allegations had been announced.
Author note: Last updated August 3, 2026.