Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) used an expletive on Monday when a reporter pressed him on why it took so long to issue a public statement regarding allegations against his former son-in-law, Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio). Miller is accused by his ex-wife, Moreno's daughter Emily Moreno, of domestic abuse.
“You know, I hope you never have to go through a situation like this, and you wouldn’t ask that kind of fucking question,” Moreno told CNN’s Ellis Kim, according to NBC News’ Frank Thorp V.
Last week, Emily Moreno accused Miller of multiple incidents of abuse, including holding a gun to her head and allegedly fracturing their 2-year-old daughter’s collarbone. She also claimed in an affidavit that Miller “physically touched [Moreno’s] counsel without consent.” Miller has denied the allegations and filed a defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife. A temporary restraining order was granted to Emily Moreno last month.
When previously asked by NOTUS if Republicans should replace Miller on the ticket, Moreno responded, “I don’t know.” A spokesperson for Moreno stated that the senator would not comment on active litigation involving his family. However, Moreno later posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the past two years had been “pure hell” for his family following his daughter's divorce.
In his social media post, Moreno stated that while he wished to keep the matter private, Miller’s “increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior has made that impossible.” He added, “As he has admitted privately, Max Miller needs serious psychological help. He is a danger to my daughter, and I hold my breath every minute he has custody of my granddaughter.” Moreno concluded, “If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them.”
When pressed further by Semafor’s Burgess Everett about why Miller is not resigning, Moreno reportedly said, “You’ll have to ask him.” He also described the situation as a "personal family situation" and called the line of questioning "pretty grotesque."