U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson won't call on embattled Rep. Max Miller to drop his reelection bid as Miller faces allegations of domestic violence.
Johnson broke his silence on the dispute during an interview with Politico after Miller told CNN that the speaker was "standing behind me." The Ohio congressman is accused of abusing his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, and their 2-year-old daughter − which Miller has repeatedly denied.
Emily Moreno is the daughter of U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio.
"We don't take disciplinary action against members for allegations," Johnson told Politico. "He is vehemently denying this. It's, in his own words, 'a nasty divorce proceeding' and it's gotten ugly and it's gotten public. But he's saying the same things privately
to members that he is publicly, that he denies all this and he thinks it's a hit job on him."
Miller and Moreno divorced in June 2025 and are locked in a bitter custody battle for their daughter. Moreno alleged that Miller threw boiling water on her and held a gun to her head. She also blamed Miller for their daughter's broken collarbone.
Miller said he won't abandon his campaign against Democrat Brian Poindexter in Northeast Ohio's 7th District, even after President Donald Trump expressed doubts about Miller's chances. That prompted Bernie Moreno to publicly denounce his former son-in-law, saying his daughter "lives in constant fear of this man."
The House Committee on Ethics announced an investigation into Miller on Aug. 4 after he pledged to file paperwork to launch a probe himself. Johnson − who has fielded attacks from Miller over his leadership − called the allegations serious but said the investigation needs to run its course.
"I'm not going to use this situation to say something negative about him," Johnson said. "He's got to work out the things in his family life. And that's an issue for the voters of Ohio's 7th District. It's an issue for the Miller family to work out and the Moreno family."
State government reporter Haley BeMiller can be reached at hbemiller@usatodayco.com or @haleybemiller on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: House Speaker Mike Johnson won't call on Rep. Max Miller to drop out
