Speaker Mike Johnson responds to domestic abuse allegations against a GOP congressman: ‘He’s got to work that out’

WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., weighed in Friday on domestic abuse allegations Rep. Max Miller’s ex-wife has made against the Ohio Republican, saying “he’s got to work that out.”

“I don’t get involved in the personal lives of members and those things. You know, he’s refuted some of these allegations, and he’s got to work that out,” Johnson said when asked by NBC News about the allegations.

It’s a complicated situation for Republicans. Miller, who is in his second term in Congress, is in a bitter divorce fight with his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno, another Ohio Republican. Miller has vehemently denied the allegations and is suing her alleging defamation.

“The false allegations against me come amidst a personal custody dispute and are simply an attempt to destroy my personal and professional reputation. I look forward to bringing the truth to light in court,” Miller posted on X.

Miller, a Donald Trump ally, and Emily Moreno were married in 2022 at the Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey. They had a daughter in 2023. Their divorce was finalized in June, according to The Associated Press.

Earlier this month, the Daily Mail reported that Miller was facing domestic abuse allegations from his ex-wife and published photos of what she alleged were injuries she sustained from Miller’s physical abuse.

On May 8, Miller took aim at his former father-in-law, accusing Bernie Moreno on X of continuing “to fund and enable his daughter’s malicious campaign to ruin my life despite his knowledge of her mental health issues.”

“Bernie, this must be distracting from your job. These antics harm your own grandchild. Anytime you want to put a stop to this, you can,” Miller wrote on X.

The senator has not publicly responded, and on Friday his office declined to comment.

Things escalated on Wednesday, when Miller filed a defamation lawsuit against Emily Moreno in Cleveland, citing “the considerable reputational and financial harm” caused to him by her abuse allegations, according to The Associated Press.

Miller, who is running for a third term this November, alleged that his ex-wife, her attorney Andrew Zashin and his law firm have engaged in a defamatory campaign by spreading knowingly false information about him to the Daily Mail, the New York Post and other media outlets, the AP said.

Emily Moreno’s spokesperson, Stefan Mychajliw, told the AP on Thursday: “Mr. Miller is upset because he’s tried to silence Emily Moreno the same way he silenced Stephanie Grisham — and Emily won’t let him.”

Mychajliw was referencing the former White House press secretary who accused Miller of domestic abuse while they were dating during Trump’s first term. Miller sued Grisham over that allegation, included in her post-White House book, and he voluntarily dismissed the suit with prejudice in 2023 while denying the claims, the AP reported.

Miller is “running the same playbook against a woman with photographs of her bruises and burns,” Mychajliw told the AP, adding: “Mr. Miller will not silence Ms. Moreno.”

Neither Mychajliw nor Zashin Law immediately responded to NBC News’ requests for comment on Friday.

Allegations of domestic and child abuse raised by Emily Moreno in court filings in the divorce proceedings, which were reported locally in late April, haven’t appeared to hurt Miller’s standing with Trump. The president endorsed Miller for re-election on May 5, noting he served in the Marines and in his first presidential administration.

“Max Miller has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!” Trump posted on Truth Social.

An incident report from the Bay Village Police Department showed that an officer was dispatched to the Miller home on Feb. 23 to speak with a child protection specialist from the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services about “suspected child abuse.” The report, obtained by NBC News, did not name either Miller or Emily Moreno.

Police told NBC News that investigation is ongoing and provided no other details. Miller’s lawyer told News 5 Cleveland in April that the county informed Miller it had found no evidence of “child abuse or neglect,” adding that “neither Ms. Moreno, nor anyone else has demonstrated any evidence against Congressman Miller.”