Rep. Max Miller, Republican of Ohio, asked the House Ethics Committee on Tuesday to investigate abuse allegations brought by his ex-wife, saying he has «absolutely nothing to hide» and wants to «clear my name» before voters decide his political future.
The House Ethics Committee confirmed Tuesday afternoon that it would examine allegations that Miller «may have engaged in domestic violence and abuse or illegal drug use.» Miller wrote on X that he was requesting the review because of renewed interest in his family affairs, insisted he had nothing to hide, and said he would provide the committee with all documents needed for a detailed examination. The request came as a bitter family dispute involving Miller, his former wife Emily Moreno, and her father, Sen. Bernie Moreno, Republican of Ohio, spilled into public view and threatened a House race in Cleveland's suburbs.
Emily Moreno, who filed for divorce from Miller in 2024 after two years of marriage, has accused him of physically abusing her and their young daughter. Her allegations include two separate incidents in which Miller scalded her with boiling water and held a gun to her head, as well as a claim that their daughter needed medical care for a broken collarbone after being in Miller's charge. Miller and Moreno share custody of their daughter, and the two are also in the middle of a heated custody dispute.
Miller has consistently denied the accusations and accused both his ex-wife and her father of trying to take down his political career. He said during a livestream over the weekend that every allegation had already been investigated, that no criminal charge had ever been filed against him, and that none of the claims had been substantiated by relevant entities. He also suggested that Moreno had struggled with mental health issues in the past and that this might explain her account.
He offered alternative explanations for some of the reported incidents, describing the alleged boiling-water episode as «horseplay» and disputing that the water was boiling. He said Moreno once took their daughter to the emergency room because she thought the child had a bruise on her neck, but that the mark was actually finger paint.
Mounting public pressure has carried the family feud from the Cleveland area to Washington. Sen. Moreno has called on Miller to resign from the House and told reporters Tuesday that Miller «fails to meet that minimum basic standard» expected of elected officials. In a statement posted on X, the senator described Miller as a «danger» to his daughter and granddaughter.
The controversy has put Miller's re-election under scrutiny. Democrats see a new opening in what was once a relatively safe Republican seat in the Cleveland suburbs, and some House Republicans are privately worried about the political fallout. One GOP source, granted anonymity to speak candidly, described the situation as a «trainwreck,» while another Republican lawmaker said Miller should not run for re-election, arguing that the party must «lead by example.»
The same GOP source acknowledged that the allegations against Miller had not been substantiated, but said the «court of public opinion» could still shape the race and that Miller appeared to voters to have «a little too much on his plate.» The Republican lawmaker who urged Miller to drop out also called on Reps. Chuck Edwards of North Carolina and Cory Mills of Florida, who are facing harassment allegations they have denied, to end their re-election campaigns. The House Ethics Committee recently recommended that Edwards be censured for his behavior toward two young female staffers.
Miller has shown no sign of stepping aside. He said he is confident he will win in November and welcomed the Ethics Committee review, saying he would provide all necessary documents. «The accusations continue to change, but my facts stay the same,» he wrote Tuesday. «I am looking forward to my colleagues reading everything for themselves.»