GOP lawmaker sued by ex-girlfriend for breaching settlement over abuse claims

Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) is being sued by a former girlfriend over claims he violated a settlement agreement meant to silence her abuse allegations, even as he sues his ex-wife for making similar ones.

Former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham filed the suit Tuesday in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Miller sued Grisham in 2021 after she wrote in a Washington Post op-ed that a fellow White House staffer — widely identified as him — had physically abused her, according to court records.

In August 2023, Miller dismissed the lawsuit and entered into a non-disparagement agreement with Grisham, according to the complaint.

Then, the complaint says, he broke it.

On May 7, Miller posted audio on X claiming a 2024 recording proved that "Everything alleged by Stephanie Grisham was fabricated."

The complaint says the recording shows no such thing. What it actually contains, according to the filing, is a woman's voice telling Miller that "what Stephanie did to you was wrong... it was evil" — a statement of sympathy, not a recantation of Grisham's allegations.

Miller also gave a television interview in June defending himself against Grisham's allegations. "[Grisham's] allegation came out on the same day as somebody's book launch," he told Spectrum News1, suggesting she fabricated the claims for profit.

Grisham had written that "the end of our relationship had become violent" and that she told both Melania and Donald Trump that Miller "got physical with me." Miller has repeatedly denied the allegations.

Miller's ex-wife, Emily Moreno, daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH), has accused him of scalding her with hot water, emotional abuse, and other violence during their marriage. He denies it and has sued Emily Moreno for defamation.

In a secretly recorded conversation he shared with the New York Post, Miller can be heard discussing the incident with Emily Moreno about the water:

"I never thought that that hurt you," Miller said in the recording. "I went through this with Stephanie, God bless you."

Emily Moreno's attorneys cited the alleged abuse of Grisham in a court filing last month.

"Even before Ms. Moreno's alleged accusations, Miller made himself widely known for being both violent generally and abusive to his romantic partners," the filing stated.

"Mr. Miller is upset because he's tried to silence Emily Moreno the same way he silenced Stephanie Grisham," Emily Moreno's spokesman told the Associated Press after Miller sued her.

Miller faces reelection in November against Democrat Brian Poindexter in Ohio's 7th Congressional District, according to the Associated Press.