The political and personal drama between two Ohio Republican families took another turn Thursday when Emily Moreno, daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno, filed for a new restraining order against her ex-husband, Rep. Max Miller. The filing accuses the congressman of domestic violence, a charge he has consistently denied.
In the request, dated Thursday, Moreno alleges that Miller physically grabbed her attorney, Andrew Zashin, during a hearing Tuesday. The confrontation, she says, prompted her to shout: “Get your hands off of him.” The incident, if true, would mark another volatile chapter in a contentious divorce and custody battle that has already spilled into the public eye.
This is not the first time Moreno has sought legal protection from Miller. Her new filing follows earlier allegations of abuse, which she first raised in 2024 amidst their separation. At the time, Miller dismissed the claims as “completely false” and accused Moreno of using the legal system to tarnish his reputation.
Tuesday’s hearing, held in a Cleveland-area courtroom, was supposedly about minor procedural matters. Instead, it appears to have escalated into a physical confrontation. Zashin, a well-known family law attorney in Ohio, did not immediately return calls for comment. But the alleged grab—if substantiated—could have serious legal and political ramifications for Miller, a first-term congressman who has aligned himself closely with former President Donald Trump.
The relationship between Moreno and Miller has been anything but quiet. They married in 2020, a union that seemed to cement alliances within Ohio’s Republican circles. Miller, a former Marine and aide to Trump, was seen as a rising star. Moreno, an attorney and businesswoman, came from a prominent family—her father a Cleveland car dealer who later won a Senate seat in 2024. But the marriage soured quickly, and by 2023, they were embroiled in divorce proceedings that have been marked by bitter accusations and counter-accusations.
The new restraining order also casts a spotlight on Senator Bernie Moreno, who has largely stayed silent on the matter. Asked about the filing on Thursday, a spokesperson for the senator said, “This is a private matter for Emily, and we have no comment.” Yet the political implications are unavoidable. A sitting congressman being accused by the daughter of a sitting senator—both from the same party—is the kind of story that makes colleagues uneasy.
Legal experts note that restraining orders are typically granted based on an evidentiary standard that is lower than in criminal trials. A judge weighs the allegations and decides whether an order is necessary to protect the petitioner. The new filing is likely to be heard soon, possibly within days.
For her part, Moreno has been consistent. She has said she fears for her safety and that of her family. In her latest filing, she describes feeling “terror” during Tuesday’s hearing, saying that Miller’s actions left her “shaken and fearful.” She also claims Miller has a pattern of volatile behavior, a charge his legal team has repeatedly rejected.
Miller’s attorney, whom we reached by phone, dismissed the new filing as “baseless” and “a continuation of a smear campaign.” He said Miller never touched Zashin and that the alleged incident was “a figment of her imagination.” The attorney also accused Moreno of “forum shopping”—a term used when someone seeks out a favorable court.
The hearing for the new restraining order has not yet been scheduled. But given the high-profile nature of the case, it is unlikely to remain private for long.
In the meantime, the situation adds another layer of complexity to an already messy legal saga. Two prominent political families are now entangled in a dispute that involves domestic violence allegations, courtroom confrontations, and the very public unraveling of a marriage.
This story is developing, and more details may emerge as court records become available. What is clear is that the bitter rift between Emily Moreno and Max Miller is far from over, and its reverberations are being felt far beyond the confines of a family courtroom.