House launches probe into Rep. Max Miller over domestic violence, drug use accusations

The Ohio Republican, whose ex-wife has accused him of abusing her and their daughter, said he would ask the ethics panel to investigate his conduct and claimed he had “absolutely nothing to hide.”WASHINGTON (CN) — The House Ethics Committee announced Tuesday that it has opened an investigation into Ohio Representative Max Miller, amid escalating scrutiny over a domestic abuse scandal that has now drawn in a U.S. senator — his father-in-law.The move comes after Miller himself said he would ask the House’s nonpartisan ethics panel for such a probe, claiming he wanted to clear his name from what he described as “horrific attacks” on him and his family.Miller, who represents Ohio’s 7th Congressional District, has forcefully denied accusations from his ex-wife Emily Moreno that he physically abused her and their young daughter. Moreno, the daughter of Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno, has said in court filings that her former husband used drugs, pointed a gun at her, threw hot water on her and threw her against a wall, among other things.She’s also accused Miller of bruising their daughter and fracturing her clavicle.But the Ohio congressman has roundly denied the abuse accusations. During remarks livestreamed Sunday on X, Miller claimed his ex-wife has “struggled with significant mental health challenges” and said that she had acknowledged in text messages and conversations that she did not think he would hurt her physically.Miller, who is running for reelection in November, also released a trove of documents he said contained exonerating evidence.Still, on Tuesday morning the congressman said he would file paperwork to request a House Ethics Committee investigation into his own conduct.“I have absolutely nothing to hide,” he said in a statement. “We will be providing the committee all necessary documents needed for a detail [sic] examination. The accusations continue to change, but my facts stay the same. I am looking forward to my colleagues reading everything for themselves.”The Ethics Committee said in a press release Tuesday that it was probing “allegations that Representative Max Miller may have engaged in domestic violence and abuse or illegal drug use” in violation of the House’s code of conduct.Congressional ethics investigations are secretive affairs. The nonpartisan panel is characteristically tight-lipped and is unlikely to provide any more public updates on its Miller probe until it’s reached a conclusion.Senator Moreno, for his part, had remained largely silent until this week about the custody battle between Miller and his daughter. But he told reporters Tuesday that the experience has been “truly the seventh level of hell.”“This has been a horrific experience for my entire family,” he said. “My daughter specifically did not want this to be out in public. That’s why she asked me to lower the temperature.”Moreno said his daughter “lives in constant fear” of Miller and “what this guy is capable of.” He told reporters that he’d met his former son-in-law at a police station over the weekend to take custody of his granddaughter and that Miller had refused to hand over her favorite stuffed animal.“He literally held it hostage for 48 hours,” Moreno fumed.Audio recordings of Emily Moreno, published by Miller’s team and reviewed by Courthouse News, shed more light on the tumultuous relationship between the congressman and the senator. In one conversation, she related an incident in which Miller had “lashed out” at Moreno, saying it “made me feel like I needed to choose between two people I really care about.”“While my dad said cruel things to you, I only ever heard you say negative things about him,” the senator’s daughter told Miller.After the congressman’s team published its trove of documents on Sunday, lawyers for Emily Moreno sent a letter to his attorney accusing him of publishing unredacted images of their child, including at least one which the lawyers said could be considered child sexual abuse material.Miller’s attorney, Aaron Minc, later issued a statement saying he was responsible for publishing those images and that it was “completely unintentional and a mistake.” He apologized to both the congressman and his ex-wife.Though some lawmakers, particularly in the Senate, have begun to say that Miller should suspend his campaign and resign from Congress, House Republican leadership have remained largely silent on the matter. House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters last month that he wanted an investigation to play out before he weighed in.Congressional ethical standards have been dragged into the spotlight in recent months thanks to a slew of high-profile scandals that have embroiled lawmakers on both sides of the aisle that led to several resignations. The House Ethics Committee on Monday recommended the chamber censure North Carolina Representative Chuck Edwards after it found that the Republican congressman made unwanted sexual and romantic advances to young staffers working in his Washington office.Graham Platner, a Democrat who was set to challenge Maine Senator Susan Collins in November, suspended his campaign last month amid accusations of sexual assault, which he denied. And two sitting members of Congress — California Representative Eric Swalwell and Texas Representative Tony Gonzales — stepped down this year amid similar scandals.Swalwell, accused of sexually assaulting a former staffer, denied the charge. Gonzales admitted that he’d had an inappropriate relationship with one of his former staff members.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads