Former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham has asked for a restraining order against embattled Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), who is facing separate allegations of domestic violence that are threatening to torpedo his troubled reelection bid.
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Grisham, who dated Miller while both were working for President Trump during his first term, didn’t give a reason for the request in an announcement by her lawyer.
She previously had accused Miller of domestic violence, but the ex-couple settled the dispute and agreed to a non-disclosure agreement, which she claims he recently violated by discussing the accusations.
The legal action came as Miller took the unusual step of preparing to ask the House Ethics Committee to launch an investigation into his conduct.
“I am going to file my own paperwork for an ethics investigation into myself to clear my name from these horrific attacks on myself and family,” MIller tweeted. “I have absolutely nothing to hide.”
An ethics probe would take time, suggesting Miller doesn’t plan to drop out of the race.
Trump reportedly called Miller, prodding him to reconsider his plans to run for reelection in the face of separate explosive domestic violence allegations by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, whose father is fellow GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio).
Trump didn’t order Miller to drop out but bluntly told him on the Monday call that “things aren’t looking good,” according to Axios.
A lawyer for Miller Tuesday apologized for inadvertently releasing a sensitive photo of the couple’s 2-year-old daughter in a trove of documents related to their domestic violence dispute.
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Attorney Aaron Minc said it was “completely unintentional and a mistake” to post the child’s image after Emily Moreno’s lawyer accused Miller of disseminating the daughter’s name and a photo that “could be considered Child Sexual Abuse Material.”
Minc said the photo depicted the toddler without a shirt and pulled it from the file but denied it showed her genitalia as Miller’s lawyer suggested.
Miller faces a Wednesday deadline for Republican leaders to appoint a replacement candidate to appear on the November general election ballot.
Trump carried the district, which stretches from the outskirts of Cleveland south into rural Ohio, by 11% in 2024. But Miller was already facing a strong challenge from Democrat Brian Poindexter and the election is considered a toss up at best for the GOP if Miller stays in the race.
Miller so far has defied calls to pull the plug on his reelection and has rejected a weekend call to resign by his former father-in-law, who said he is unfit to serve in Congress.
Emily Moreno accuses Miller of tossing scalding hot water on her and putting a gun to her head during a stormy marriage that ended in divorce last year. She also blames him for allowing their 2-year-old daughter to break her collarbone while in his care.
No criminal charges have been filed and Miller denies all the allegations leveled by both women. He says Emily Moreno has mental health issues.
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