WASHINGTON — Embattled Rep. Max Miller’s domestic violence case against his ex-wife, the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno, was formally dismissed this week after a judge concluded that the lawmaker had not actually been harmed or made to fear for his safety.
Miller (R-Ohio), who has denied allegations of abuse from his former spouse, Emily Moreno, initially filed the petition Feb. 27 demanding she be ordered to stay away from both him and the couple’s two-year-old daughter.
The 37-year-old congressman filed to drop the case in May, but his request was not granted until Wednesday.
“The Judge finds that Petitioner’s [Miller’s] Counsel was able to inform the reasons for seeking relief, that Petitioner was not under any apparent infirmity and did not appear to have been threatened by or in fear of Respondent [Moreno],” wrote Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court Judge Debra Boros.
Miller initially claimed in a sworn statement that his girlfriend was present during a Feb. 1 custody exchange, during which Emily Moreno accused him of shoving her.
Miller said during a court hearing that he had doorbell camera footage proving his story, only for his team to inform his ex-wife’s lawyer that wasn’t the case. Miller insisted he made an honest mistake because his girlfriend was at the home throughout that day and he was confused about the exact timing.
The court also agreed Wednesday to Miller’s request to withdraw his attempt to dismiss Emily Moreno’s attorney, veteran family law practitioner Andrew Zashin.
Miller had been incensed by negative media stories that emerged from his bruising custody battle with Moreno, including her accusations that he dumped scalding water on her after an argument and a police report that included the claim that Miller “previously held a gun to her head.”
Questions also surrounded how the couple’s toddler received a broken collarbone and bruised shoulder this past February.
Moreno had taken the child to get X-rays, and doctors concluded that she had “what appeared to be a handprint bruise” on her shoulder, according to a police report.
The two-term congressman has vehemently denied wrongdoing.
However, Miller was accused of abuse by his former flame, Stephanie Grisham, who served as White House press secretary during the first Trump administration. Miller sued her for defamation over those accusations, but later dropped the case voluntarily.
When asked about Wednesday’s developments, Miller campaign spokesperson Abigail Angelos told The Post: “The facts speak for themselves: The court has continued to permit him joint custody of his child.”
“Congressman Miller will continue to vigorously defend his reputation against false and reckless allegations designed to inflame public opinion rather than reflect reality,” she added. “This narrative has gone on long enough.”
Initially, a judge awarded Miller a civil protection order against Moreno — not unusual in messy divorce cases — but declined to do so for their daughter.
Miller publicly bragged about the protection order, claiming vindication, but last month, a judge overseeing their custody case partly granted Moreno’s motion for a temporary restraining order against him.
That restraining order restricts both parties from “disparaging the other in front of the minor child and using social media/electronic devices or third parties to threaten, harass, or annoy the other.”
