Former White House communications director Stephanie Grisham has filed for a temporary restraining order against Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, escalating a yearslong legal battle as the congressman faces separate abuse allegations from his ex-wife.
Court records obtained by USA TODAY show Grisham filed the request Aug. 2 in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, as part of a lawsuit she brought against Miller in June. The filing comes as Miller faces growing scrutiny during a high-profile custody battle with ex-wife Emily Moreno, who has accused him of abuse — allegations that he denies.
Why did Grisham file a restraining order?
Grisham's
attorney, Mark S. Zaid, announced the filing in a post on X, describing it as the latest development in a dispute that dates back several years.
The current lawsuit stems from comments Miller made during a June interview with Spectrum News, when he said allegations against him should be taken seriously but noted that Grisham's accusations surfaced alongside the release of a book.
"Without question, every allegation should be taken seriously," Miller said. "What should be noted is [Grisham's] allegation came out on the same day as somebody's book launch."
According to court records obtained by USA TODAY, a hearing on the restraining-order request is scheduled for Aug. 31.
Legal fight dates back to 2021
The dispute between Grisham and Miller began in 2021 after Grisham wrote a Washington Post op-ed describing an abusive relationship with an unnamed man.
Hours after the essay was published, Miller filed a defamation lawsuit against Grisham. The case was later dropped after both sides signed a nondisclosure agreement barring them from publicly disparaging one another.
Separate abuse allegations from ex-wife draw scrutiny
Grisham's filing comes as Miller is embroiled in a custody dispute with ex-wife Emily Moreno, the daughter of U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio.
The case gained national attention after Moreno alleged that Miller abused her during and after their three-year marriage. According toreporting by the Akron Beacon Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, Moreno told police that Miller threw hot water on her, causing burns, and pushed her against a wall during a custody exchange.
Moreno did not request a police investigation, and Miller was not charged, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.
Separately, Cuyahoga County authorities investigated an injury suffered by the couple's daughter. According to Bay Village police records cited by the Akron Beacon Journal, the child was taken to Cleveland Clinic in February with a broken collarbone and bruising that investigators believed warranted further review.
Prosecutors ultimately concluded there was "insufficient admissible evidence" to present the matter to a grand jury, according to police records cited by the newspaper.
Miller has denied Moreno's allegations and said he will continue his reelection campaign.
After Miller announced he would remain in the race, Bernie Moreno publicly called on his former son-in-law to step aside.
"If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them," Moreno wrote on X. "He should not serve in the House of Representatives. I believe Max Miller needs to seek professional help to end the clear pattern of abuse he has left in his wake."
Stephanie Warsmith, Jessie Balmert and Anthony Shoemaker of the Akron Beacon Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, contributed to this report.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Max Miller faces restraining order request by Stephanie Grisham
