COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The bitter divorce between an Ohio congressman and his former spouse, the daughter of one of many state’s U.S. senators, has escalated into new authorized motion.
Republican U.S. Rep. Max Miller filed a defamation lawsuit in opposition to Emily Moreno, his one-time partner, on Wednesday in Cleveland, citing “the appreciable reputational and monetary hurt” brought on to him by her accusations that he was “a violent and abusive husband and father.”
Miller, a two-term congressman up for reelection this fall, alleges that Moreno, her lawyer Andrew Zashin and his legislation agency have engaged in a defamatory marketing campaign in opposition to him by spreading knowingly false details about him to media shops together with The Each day Mail, a British tabloid, and the New York Submit. The motion contends that the ensuing harm to his fame undermines his possibilities of reelection.
These shops have “circulation measured within the tens of thousands and thousands of print and on-line readership,” the grievance states, and their articles have been learn, considered or mentioned by Miller’s constituents, his congressional colleagues, ”his political supporters and donors, the media, and most people.”
The swimsuit seeks compensatory damages in extra of $25,000, punitive damages ample to discourage future related conduct and lawyer’s charges.
“Congressman Miller is searching for to carry these accountable accountable and to acquire damages for the numerous private, skilled, and political hurt that he has suffered,” his spokesman mentioned in a press release.
The incident brings to thoughts the same scenario that performed out as Miller, a White Home aide to President Donald Trump throughout the Republican’s first time period, made his first run for Congress in 2021.
Miller’s former girlfriend, one-time White Home press secretary Stephanie Grisham, raised allegations in her e-book and in a Washington Submit op-ed on the time {that a} former White Home staffer later recognized as Miller had bodily abused her whereas they had been courting. Miller responded by submitting a defamation lawsuit in opposition to her. He voluntarily dismissed the swimsuit with prejudice in August 2023, simply earlier than the case was set to go to trial.
Moreno’s spokesperson, Stefan Mychajliw, cited the sooner lawsuit in a press release Thursday.
“Mr. Miller is upset as a result of he’s tried to silence Emily Moreno the identical method he silenced Stephanie Grisham — and Emily received’t let him,” he mentioned, suggesting Miller is “working the identical playbook in opposition to a girl with images of her bruises and burns.” He added, “Mr. Miller is not going to silence Ms. Moreno.”
Miller married Emily Moreno in 2022. That they had a daughter in 2023.
He filed for divorce in August 2024, as her father, Bernie, was making a profitable run for U.S. Senate backed by Trump. The abuse allegations — most lately, Moreno mentioned Miller threw boiling water at her, an allegation he denies — come amid a messy custody battle that has included Miller searching for a restraining order in opposition to his ex-wife and subpoenaing the senator to testify. The divorce was finalized final June.
Miller’s spokesperson supplied documentation that a number of allegations that he had abused his daughter had been investigated by the Cuyahoga County Division of Youngsters and Household Providers and deemed unsubstantiated.
Amid the drama, Democrat Brian Poindexter, a five-term native councilman and union ironworker, is trying to oust Miller and flip Ohio’s seventh Congressional District in November.