Embattled Congressman Max Miller (R) facing calls to step down over domestic abuse allegations.

 

Congressman Max Miller. Official portrait. 

Embattled Congressman Max Miller, Republican from Ohio's 7th district, is facing calls to step down and withdraw from the race after serious allegations of domestic abuse have surfaced. Politico. Miller was married to the daughter of Senator Bernie Moreno, Emily Moreno and is in the middle of an acrimonious divorce. Miller was accused by Moreno of spraying her with scalding water and pointing a gun at her head while also breaking the collarbone of their daughter. Miller has denied the accusations. In addition to Senator Moreno, other prominent Senate Republicans have called for Miller to step down before Wednesday's deadline for a new primary. 

A new report from Axios says that President Trump has expressed skepticism of Miller's chances in November.  Trump reportedly didn't call for Miller to drop out but said that his reelection chances, against Democrat Brian Poindexter, were "not looking good". President Trump has remained neutral in public comments about Miller.

My Comment:

There's nothing worse than a he said she said situation. It's very hard to tell if the allegations against Miller are legit or just the result of an acrimonious divorce. There is some documentation to favor both Miller and Moreno's claims. The evidence in both sides isn't conclusive and there isn't a smoking gun for either side. 

Which means that folks are conflicted about this. If the allegations are true, than there is no reason for Miller to be in the House. Indeed, if he pointed a gun at his then-wife, he should be in prison. And he's already faced allegations of abuse from a woman before, former White House Secretary Stephanie Grisham also accused him of abuse, to the point where a settlement was made. 

But there is, of course, the idea of reasonable doubt. Folks do indeed lie during these kinds of horrible divorces and some of the allegations are ridiculous (spraying someone with a sink hose is not going to cause any damage). And there is no iron clad proof that Miller actually did anything wrong. 

What I do know is that these allegations are turning what should be a solid Republican seat in Ohio into one that Democrats could conceivably win. Polling has shown that Brian Poindexter, Miller's Democratic opponent, is close to overtaking Miller in the polls. And the only real reason for that is folks think that Miller is guilty of the accusations against him. 

It's telling that someone named Poindexter, who looks like the name, even has a chance in a safe Republican district. Poindexter is another attempt, like Graham Platner in Maine, to get a "manly man" into office to try and win back Republicans. Normally it wouldn't work at all, why would men vote for a party that hates them? But if the choice is between someone who may have beaten up two women and injured a child? I personally would vote for the Devil himself over even the most moderate Democrat, but a lot of folks aren't going to make that trade. 

Miller has to drop out by the 5th if there is going to be a primary and I think the Republicans have until the 10th to replace him. Miller, for his part, seems determined to stay in the race. He thinks he can still win, and I think there is a chance, folks might not believe his ex-wife. But the fact that several senators are calling for him to step down and the fact that Trump has expressed doubt makes me think that he could be forced to leave, much like Graham Platner was in Maine for the Democrats. 

Finally, I have to say that if I had married the daughter of a Senator, I'd be treating her with kid gloves. If these accusations are even close to being true, than Miller is crazy. Bernie Moreno is a popular member of the Senate, and though he's a freshman Senator (he replaced Democrat Sherrod Brown), he's not a man I would make upset. Indeed, the fact that he ended up speaking out at all is pretty damning and it alone makes the accusations more credible.