Max Miller, Accused of Abuse, Is Not Stepping Aside. Here's What We Know.

Max Miller, Accused of Abuse, Is Not Stepping Aside. Here's What We Know. By The New York Times (Annie Karni / Eric Lee). WASHINGTON - Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, whose reelection campaign is in jeopardy amid allegations that he abused his ex-wife and toddler daughter, defiantly denied those claims Sunday and refused to drop out of his race for a third term. In a livestream that lasted about 20 minutes, Miller appeared agitated and at times seemed to be laboring to read from a script as he categorically denied the accusations by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno. The lengthy public statement prompted Moreno's father, Sen. Bernie Moreno, also an Ohio Republican, to issue a public rebuke of Miller, saying for the first time after a yearslong legal battle that his son-in-law was not fit to serve in Congress. The intraparty family conflict has burst into public view days before a Wednesday deadline for replacing Miller on the ballot in the election for a seat that was once considered a lock for Republicans but now appears competitive. What Are the Accusations Against Max Miller? Miller and Emily Moreno divorced in 2024 and have battled in court ever since in a custody battle that has included accusations of child abuse, stalking and the filing of restraining orders. Moreno has said that Miller scalded her chest and stomach by throwing hot water from a skillet at her body; held a gun to her head; pushed her against a wall and hit her head; and fractured their daughter's collarbone and bruised her shoulder. According to court documents, their daughter at one point told Moreno, 'Daddy kill you.' Miller has denied the charges and leveled his own against Moreno. He has said without evidence that his ex-wife suffers from 'significant mental health challenges' and called her a liar, a stalker and a dangerous individual who has made him and their daughter unsafe. In his appearance Sunday, Miller also contended that Moreno's claims were not credible because she at times made friendly overtures to him after the episodes of alleged abuse. 'If I had assaulted her,' he said, 'would she have offered to cook me dinner six days later?' He also noted that he retained joint custody of their daughter after years of legal battles, citing that as proof that the courts do not consider him a threat to his family. 'If these accusations were true, I would be in jail,' he said. How Has Bernie Moreno Responded? For months, Bernie Moreno remained silent in the face of disturbing details that emerged from court documents that alleged abuse against his daughter and granddaughter. In recent days, he has been heavily criticized online for failing to call for Miller to resign or end his reelection campaign, in what Democrats said was a sign of allegiance to his party over his own family. But on Sunday, after Miller's defiant livestream, Moreno broke his silence in an emotional and unequivocal post on social media that hinted at the personal toll the saga has taken on his family. 'If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them,' Moreno wrote. He added, 'I hold my breath every minute he has custody of my granddaughter.' He continued: 'He should not serve in the House of Representatives. 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.' Moreno, people close to him said, has been paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for the litigation against Miller, and had been held back from speaking out against him by his daughter. How Have Other Republicans Responded? Most Republicans have not criticized Miller or called for his resignation, many of them noting that the allegations against him have not been proved. The politics are clear: Republicans are keenly aware that every seat matters as they stare down an electoral map that shows them at risk of losing their House majority. Miller holds a seat in Ohio's 7th Congressional District, once a reliable Republican stronghold that President Donald Trump won by double digits in 2024. It is not clear whether Moreno's unequivocal denunciation of Miller's fitness for office will change that in the coming days. Speaker Mike Johnson has so far sidestepped questions about the situation by noting that any such claims should work their way through an official process run by the House Ethics Committee. 'The key word there is 'allegation,'' Johnson has said of Miller's case. Johnson's spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment Sunday about Moreno's denunciation of Miller. Trump elevated Miller's political career after growing fond of him when he was a loyal staff member during the first Trump administration. Trump briefly addressed the matter Sunday evening at Joint Base Andrews but remained noncommittal. He had previously endorsed Miller. 'I'm going to look at it,' he said. 'I mean, so far, it's accusations.' Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, defended Miller in a recent interview. 'This is a family matter. I know Max is a good man,' he told CNN. 'I hope he wins reelection.' What Happens Now? Republicans have a deadline on Wednesday for replacing Miller on the ballot. Miller has made it clear he has no intention of ending his reelection bid himself. But internal Democratic and Republican polls show him just 1 percentage point ahead of the Democratic nominee - and that was before he was denounced by his former father-in-law and before Democrats have spent any money elevating the allegations against him. The coming days will pose a test of whether there will be enough pressure from the GOP - or from the president and his inner circle - to force Miller out of the race, or whether they will stand by him. This article originally appeared in The New York Times.