Emily Moreno has asked an Ohio judge to issue a restraining order preventing Rep. Max Miller from contacting or harassing her attorneys, citing multiple alleged incidents of verbal and physical intimidation during their divorce. The filing details exchanges in May and July 2026 and includes attached emails Moreno says show repeated harassment. Moreno’s petition comes amid separate, more serious allegations — including a claimed gun threat and the unexplained broken collarbone of the couple’s toddler — which Miller denies. A civil custody trial is set for Nov. 5.
Ohio Congressman Max Miller Faces Restraining-Order Request From Ex-Wife After Alleged Harassment and Abuse
Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, attends the Ways and Means Committee hearing on the priorities of the Treasury Department in the Longworth Building on June 4, 2026.Credit: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty
Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) is facing a new restraining-order petition from his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, who asks a Cuyahoga County judge to bar the congressman from contacting or harassing her legal team amid a contentious divorce and related abuse allegations.
Allegations in Court Filing
In a court filing dated July 30 and obtained by PEOPLE, Moreno — the daughter of Ohio State Senator Bernie Moreno — alleges that Miller repeatedly insulted, grabbed and otherwise harassed her attorneys during recent court proceedings. The filing recounts specific incidents in May and July 2026 in which Moreno says Miller made derogatory remarks about an attorney's fiancée and in one hallway encounter physically grabbed an attorney to get his attention.
Representative Max Miller, a Republican from Ohio, arrives for a Congressional briefing on Venezuela at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026.Credit: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty
“This conduct must cease,” the petition reads, asking the judge to prohibit Miller from harassing, physically touching, or threatening Moreno’s counsel in person, by phone or electronically.
Examples Cited by Moreno
The filing says that after a May hearing, Miller allegedly called after three of Moreno’s attorneys, insulted one attorney’s fiancée and implied she could be found "on a street corner for $10." In July, Moreno alleges Miller interrupted a proceeding to reference a book that contains allegations about his past behavior and later physically grabbed an attorney in a courthouse hallway while again making insulting remarks.
Broader Allegations and Child Injury
These courtroom incidents come amid broader and more serious allegations from Moreno, who has claimed Miller once held a gun to her head and threatened her father, Sen. Bernie Moreno. The couple’s 2-year-old suffered a broken collarbone earlier this year under circumstances that remain unclear; child protective services concluded its review without determining whether the injury was caused by abuse. Police reports cited by PEOPLE also note distressing statements attributed to the child and bruising described by a CPS specialist as resembling a “handprint.”
Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) speaks during a press conference on Capitol Hill on June 26, 2024 in Washington, D.C.Credit: Samuel Corum/Getty
Miller’s Response and Legal Back-and-Forth
Miller has denied wrongdoing, calling Moreno’s allegations a “complete fabrication” in comments to CNN and characterizing the dispute as a "very nasty divorce." He has pursued civil litigation against his ex-wife — including defamation claims — and at one point sought a civil protection order for himself and the child; that request was later dropped. No criminal charges have been filed against Miller to date.
Political Context and Next Steps
A former White House aide who received former President Donald Trump’s endorsement for reelection, Miller represents Ohio’s 7th Congressional District. A civil trial to resolve the couple’s custody dispute is scheduled to begin on Nov. 5, two days after Election Day. Representatives for both parties did not provide comment to PEOPLE on the filings.
Support and Resources
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org. Calls are free, confidential and available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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