COLUMBUS, Ohio \u2014 The bitter divorce between an Ohio congressman and his former wife, the daughter of one of the state\u2019s U.S. senators, has escalated into new legal action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Republican U.S. Rep. Max Miller filed a defamation lawsuit against Emily Moreno, his one-time spouse, on Wednesday in Cleveland, citing \u201cthe considerable reputational and financial harm\u201d caused to him by her accusations that he was \u201ca violent and abusive husband and father.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Miller, a two-term congressman up for reelection this fall, alleges that Moreno, her attorney Andrew Zashin and his law firm have engaged in a defamatory campaign against him by spreading knowingly false information about him to media outlets including The Daily Mail, a British tabloid, and the New York Post. The action contends that the resulting damage to his reputation undermines his chances of reelection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Those outlets have \u201ccirculation measured in the tens of millions of print and online readership,\u201d the complaint states, and their articles have been read, viewed or discussed by Miller\u2019s constituents, his congressional colleagues, \u201dhis political supporters and donors, the media, and the general public.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The suit seeks compensatory damages in excess of $25,000, punitive damages sufficient to deter future similar conduct and attorney\u2019s fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCongressman Miller is seeking to hold those responsible accountable and to obtain damages for the significant personal, professional, and political harm that he has suffered,\u201d his spokesman said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zashin declined comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The incident brings to mind a similar situation that played out as Miller, a White House aide to President Donald Trump during the Republican\u2019s first term, made his first run for Congress in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Miller\u2019s former girlfriend, one-time White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, raised allegations in her book and in a Washington Post op-ed at the time that a former White House staffer later identified as Miller had physically abused her while they were dating. Miller responded by filing a defamation lawsuit against her. He voluntarily dismissed the suit with prejudice in August 2023, just before the case was set to go to trial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moreno\u2019s spokesperson, Stefan Mychajliw, cited the earlier lawsuit in a statement Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMr. Miller is upset because he\u2019s tried to silence Emily Moreno the same way he silenced Stephanie Grisham \u2014 and Emily won\u2019t let him,\u201d he said, suggesting Miller is \u201crunning the same playbook against a woman with photographs of her bruises and burns.\u201d He added, \u201cMr. Miller will not silence Ms. Moreno.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Miller married Emily Moreno in 2022. They had a daughter in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He filed for divorce in August 2024, as her father, Bernie, was making a successful run for U.S. Senate backed by Trump. The abuse allegations \u2014 most recently, Moreno said Miller threw boiling water at her, an allegation he denies \u2014 come amid a messy custody battle that has included Miller seeking a restraining order against his ex-wife and subpoenaing the senator to testify. The divorce was finalized last June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Miller\u2019s spokesperson provided documentation that several allegations that he had abused his daughter were investigated by the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services and deemed unsubstantiated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Amid the drama, Democrat Brian Poindexter, a five-term local councilman and union ironworker, is looking to oust Miller and flip Ohio\u2019s 7th Congressional District in November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n