An attorney for Rep. Max Miller has admitted to accidentally including a shirtless photo of the congressman's two-year-old daughter in a collection of digital files released over the weekend. The files were shared online by Miller as part of his defense against abuse allegations made by his ex-wife.
Aaron Minc, Miller's attorney, stated that he was solely responsible for assembling, editing, and releasing the files and that the inclusion of the photograph was "completely unintentional and a mistake." The initial link to the files was removed shortly after being posted, with a second link made available subsequently.
Miller and his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, are involved in a contentious custody dispute following Miller's divorce filing in August 2024. Miller also filed a defamation lawsuit against Moreno in May concerning her allegations of abuse.
Moreno's legal team raised concerns about the image, suggesting it "could be considered Child Sexual Abuse Material" due to the potential visibility of the child's genitals. They also noted that the toddler's name was not redacted from the files, which had reportedly been accessed over 204,000 times. Minc disputed this characterization, stating "There were no images of ‘genitals.’ A two-year-old girl had her shirt off. That is a deliberately false, sensationalized, and disgusting characterization."
Moreno has accused Miller of physical abuse, including shoving, pouring hot water on her, and holding a gun to her head. A police report also details Moreno's concerns about her daughter's broken collarbone and a bruise on her shoulder.
Miller, 37, has denied all allegations. His ex-wife's father, Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), has publicly called for Miller to seek psychological help and questioned his fitness for office. Republicans in Ohio have a deadline of Wednesday to select a replacement if Miller withdraws from the ballot. A recent poll indicated Miller held a narrow lead in Ohio's 7th District, a seat previously won by President Trump by 11 points.