COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is concerned by the domestic abuse allegations against Republican Congressman Max Miller, but said it should be up to voters if he remains a U.S. representative. Now, a Democratic member of the Ohio delegation is calling for Miller's resignation.
Across party lines, politicians are concerned about multiple women's claims of domestic violence by Miller. The congressman has denied every allegation.
"The accusations are certainly very serious and certainly troubling," DeWine said.
Miller, a Republican representing District 7, which contains Cleveland's western suburbs, Medina, Wayne and Ashland Counties, is facing increased scrutiny in recent weeks after allegations of domestic violence surfaced in a bitter divorce case with his ex-wife, Emily Moreno.
According to court documents, Moreno, the daughter of U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno, accused him of physical and emotional abuse. The senator's team has previously not responded to comment on the allegations.
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Miller denied it, suing her for defamation. He argued in court that he never “committed battery on Moreno by hurling boiling water on her — in front of their minor daughter.”
He was also just sued by former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, his ex-girlfriend. She filed a lawsuit against Miller in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, arguing that Miller broke their nondisclosure agreement by accusing her of lying about being abused by him.
Grisham dated Miller in 2019 and 2020, and she accused him of domestic violence. She wrote about how “the relationship turned abusive,” he was “physical” with her and had “anger issues and a violent streak,” in a 2021 Washington Post op-ed. Although she never named Miller, the congressman said it was libelous since it was widely known that she had dated him.
Miller has previously denied all accusations and didn’t respond to comment Wednesday.
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Republicans in power have largely remained silent until I caught up with DeWine at the state fair Wednesday and asked him if Miller should remain in Congress.
"My relationship with him, our professional relationship, has been very good," the governor said. "He has worked with us on different things. We've talked back and forth about different issues."
DeWine said that Miller has "done a good job" in Congress.
"These accusations are worrying to you if they are correct, but because you have a beneficial relationship with him, you're focusing on that?" I asked the governor.
"No, that was an aside," he responded. "You didn't ask the question; I volunteered it because I think it's relevant to what kind of job he's doing as a congressman. But no, these are troubling accusations."
Voters should decide if Miller stays, he added.
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"People of the district are having to weigh the facts," the governor said. "They are the ultimate people who decide; They're the ones who decide who they want to represent."
Prominent Democrats, including a member of the Ohio congressional delegation, have called for Miller to resign. He has not responded.
"It's important that, as colleagues, we have a uniform standard of the expectations of our colleagues and what they should be doing," U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown, a Democrat representing District 11, said, adding that it "would be wise" for him to step down.
I found Congresswoman Brown at the fair, where she urged Miller's fellow Republicans to hold him accountable.
"Colleagues on our side of the aisle have taken the steps to resign to alleviate the even the troubling appearance of impropriety," Brown said.
This is why the District 7 election this November is critically important, she said, because she doubts he would step down.
"Having had some engagement with him, I know that there is a lot of pride there," she said. "We'll let that play out and see what it does."
She is supporting Democratic opponent Brian Poindexter, who is now using Miller's legal battles in campaign ads against him.
The governor was asked if he endorsed Miller for the election, and he said that he had never made an endorsement in that race. I asked if he would want Miller to represent him if he lived in the area. He wouldn't respond.
"I’m done," he said semi-jokingly. "Done."
Follow Statehouse and Columbus bureau reporter Morgan Trau on X, Instagram and Facebook. Email her at Morgan.Trau@wews.com.
