Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, is facing a lawsuit from his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, over the public release of an explicit photograph of their 2-year-old daughter. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, alleges the nude image was inadvertently included in a public Dropbox folder containing evidence Miller provided to his attorney, Aaron Minc. This folder was intended to counter allegations of abuse against his ex-wife and daughter.
According to court documents, the explicit photo was sent to Miller by Moreno to document a bruise on their daughter's shoulder after a period of custody. The child was later diagnosed with a broken collarbone. The lawsuit states that Miller's attorney, Aaron Minc, admitted to failing to properly redact the files before they were released publicly, an error he described as unintentional and entirely his fault.
The image remained accessible for approximately 23 hours. Moreno, filing the suit on behalf of their daughter, is seeking $150,000 in statutory damages for emotional distress and reputational harm. Miller and Minc have not yet responded to requests for comment.
This legal action is part of an ongoing contentious dispute between Miller and Moreno. Moreno, the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), has accused the congressman of abuse. These allegations, which include claims that Miller held a gun to her head and injured their daughter, are currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee.
Rep. Miller is currently running for re-election in Ohio's 7th congressional district. Despite pressure from Sen. Moreno and other Republicans, he has missed the deadline to withdraw from the race and intends to remain on the ballot.