A sitting Republican U.S. congressman from Ohio is digging in to defend his seat in the upcoming November midterm elections, refusing to step aside even amid a barrage of serious abuse allegations levied by his ex-wife, whose father is a sitting U.S. senator, and public doubt about his electoral prospects from former President Donald Trump.
Max Miller, a one-term White House aide who is running for his third congressional term, made his position clear in an exclusive interview with CNN, stating firmly, “I’m never going to back down.” His defiant statement comes just 24 hours after Trump placed a personal call to the incumbent, where he raised questions about whether Miller could secure victory in the November general election, two sources familiar with the call confirmed.
Miller has issued a full, categorical denial of all claims against him. These include allegations of physical and emotional abuse against his ex-wife Emily Moreno and their young daughter, as well as unsubstantiated claims of illegal drug use, all of which he describes as a baseless smear campaign.
Court documents and police reports obtained by major U.S. news outlets, including CBS — the domestic broadcast partner of the BBC — detail the serious accusations from Moreno. She alleges Miller threw her into a wall during an altercation, held a loaded gun to her head, and inflicted a fractured collarbone on their two-year-old daughter. During Tuesday’s interview with CNN anchor Jake Tapper, Miller forcefully rejected the accusation of harming his child, saying he has never been physically abusive to his daughter.
In a video statement posted to X (formerly Twitter) over the weekend, Miller framed Moreno’s accusations as “baseless” and “destructive.” He pointed to his record in office as evidence of his qualifications, arguing, “I’ve been a good legislator. All they’re trying to do is create rumourmills without evidence.” The case has drawn heightened political attention because Moreno’s father, Bernie Moreno, is currently a sitting U.S. senator from Ohio, who has publicly stated his daughter “lives in constant fear” of Miller.