House GOP conference chair says Rep. Max Miller is “our nominee right now” despite abuse allegations
House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain said while she hopes abuse allegations against fellow GOP Rep. Max Miller are “not true,” she is supporting his reelection bid for a third term because “I will support anyone with an R behind their name.”
“At the end of the day, he’s our nominee right now,” the Michigan congresswoman said on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.” “I wish the allegations weren’t true. “
McClain also said that “divorces are ugly,” but “at the end of the day, we got to let the process play out.”
“I’m focused on winning the House back, taking the House back, keeping the House because we are the only party that’s actually putting more money in your pocket, making sure that crime is down, securing the border, and rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse,” McClain said. “And Max Miller has been a good advocate for his constituents doing that.”
Despite numerous Republican lawmakers, including Sens. Katie Britt, Jim Banks and John Husted, calling on Miller to drop out, GOP leadership is standing by Miller with the midterms approaching. House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters on Aug. 31, “He’s been a great member of Congress.”
The abuse allegations against Miller gained attention after his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, asked a court on July 30 to issue a restraining order that would prevent Miller from contacting her lawyers. Moreno, the daughter of GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio, alleged Miller verbally and physically abused her and their two-year-old daughter.
She says the Ohio congressman once threw boiling water at her, pointed a gun at her and tossed her against a wall, as well as allegedly caused a clavicle fracture and bruise on their daughter.
Miller has denied the allegations. CBS News reached out to him on Sunday for comment as well.
“My former wife is engaging in a pattern of reporting incredible, serious and destructive allegations with absolutely no evidence,” Miller said in a livestream on Aug. 2. “Every single one of these allegations were already investigated, and I cooperated fully every single time because I had nothing to hide.”
In an effort to discredit the allegations, while also facing accusations from former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham and a woman from high school, he released a Dropbox folder with documents to defend himself. That folder, however, appeared to include naked photos of his daughter, adding to the hostilities of the divorce and custody battle.
Sen. Moreno in August said his daughter “lives in constant fear of this man,” and he has to pick up his granddaughter at a police station for exchanges because he doesn’t know “what this guy’s capable of.” During one custody exchange, Moreno claimed his former son-in-law would not hand over a blue stuffed bunny and “literally held it hostage” from his daughter.
The senator said Miller “should not serve in the House of Representatives” and “needs serious psychological help.”
To avoid a special election primary in Ohio, Miller needed to withdraw by Aug. 4, and President Trump even called Miller a day before the deadline to raise concerns, a sources CBS News at the time.
Republicans hold a slim majority in the House, and the party in the White House has traditionally faced losses in midterm elections. The combination means Republicans must fight to retain every seat.