New videos obtained by police show the ex-wife of Republican Congressman Max Miller of Ohio detailing allegations of physical abuse against him, including an episode in which she claims the congressman held a gun to her head. Miller denies all allegations and classifies his ex-wife as manipulative.
The records are part of an investigation opened in February after the couple’s two-year-old daughter suffered a broken collarbone. No criminal charges have been filed at this time, and Bay Village police said there are no other investigations underway involving the couple.
In a recorded statement, Emily Moreno, daughter of Republican Senator Bernie Moreno, appears emotional and crying when reporting the incidents. She describes a moment while changing the baby’s diaper, on New Year’s Eve, when she turned on the light and Miller allegedly became angry, progressing to allegedly using the gun. Moreno also mentions being thrown against a wall during a custody exchange.
Recent audio complicates Miller’s defense
Recently, audio released by Miller himself in response to press coverage shows a conversation with his ex-wife in which he mentions a “hot water incident” without denying the act, which her lawyers use to contest the defamation lawsuit filed by him. Miller had sued Moreno and her law firm following news reports about the allegations.
The couple married in 2022 in a ceremony at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, and finalized their divorce in December 2025. The current legal battle involves shared custody of their daughter, a mutual restraining order issued last week and the defamation lawsuit.
During an interview with CNN, Miller reaffirmed that the accusations are false and said that his weapons are locked in a safe. He stated that the relationship deteriorated after the birth of the child, but denies any abuse against his daughter or ex-wife. Moreno did not grant an interview, but her lawyer said she will comply with the court order.
Political context in Ohio
The family feud takes place in a district considered a Republican stronghold in Ohio. Miller won the primary unopposed in May and will face Democrat Brian Poindexter, a steelworker, in the November election. The congressman, who served as Donald Trump’s senior advisor in his first term, minimizes the political impact of the accusations.
“It won’t affect my chances of re-election,” he said in an interview. The dispute also involves Senator Bernie Moreno, Emily’s father, who is a central figure in the Ohio Republican Party.
The videos, with faces hidden but audio preserved, bring versions of both sides in their own words and fuel the debate over child custody. The police consulted child protection experts during the initial investigation.