Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno and Rep. Max Miller are Ohio’s family values frauds

Ohio's congressional delegation was once the envy of Washington. Names like Nicholas Longworth, Robert Taft, John Glenn, and Howard Metzenbaum represented different political philosophies, but they shared a commitment to public service that earned respect well beyond Ohio's borders.

Today's delegation tells a very different, more tawdry and offensive story.

Instead of producing statesmen, Ohio has become synonymous with culture warriors and political provocateurs like Vice President JD Vance, Rep. Jim Jordan, Sen. Bernie Moreno, and Rep. Max Miller. The latest controversy surrounding Moreno and Miller is more than an ugly family feud.

It's a clear example of the old axiom: no one knows what goes on behind closed doors. And how many doors that encompasses remains up for debate.

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If you've followed politics as long as I have, you remember when Ohio Republicans such as Ralph Regula, John Kasich, and John Boehner were viewed as serious legislators. Regula, whose office was across the hall from ours when I worked on Capitol Hill, served for 35 years with a reputation for honesty, bipartisan cooperation, and quiet effectiveness. You didn’t have to agree with him to respect him.

That era feels like ancient history.

Moreno, a dyed-in-the-wool Trumper, has spent much of his political career presenting himself as a champion of traditional values while eagerly joining the Republican Party's culture wars, particularly on LGBTQ+ issues. That's why questions surrounding his own conduct, and his response to them, are coming under some much-deserved scrutiny.

In 2024, the Associated Press reported that an Adult Friend Finder profile created in 2008 used an email address associated with Moreno’s former business and sought encounters with men. Moreno denied creating the profile, saying it was the result of an intern's prank.

Now that I have stopped laughing, I will tell you how utterly ridiculous this sounds. I was a congressional intern, and based on my experience and those of many others, this is entirely implausible.

Whether it’s true or not — I have my own opinions, which should be evident — it underscores the proven reality that third-rate politicians who build careers policing other people's private lives should expect their own to receive the same scrutiny.

In other words, we’re entitled, in this case, to know what goes on behind Moreno’s closed door.

Related: Republican Ohio U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno’s LGBTQ+ hypocrisy exposed

Over the weekend, columnist Michelangelo Signorile reported that tensions between Moreno and Miller may have extended beyond their public family dispute, suggesting Miller had privately alluded to information that could embarrass Moreno.

Those claims, as you can figure out for yourself, remain unverified, and neither man has substantiated them publicly. But they have intensified attention on a relationship already unraveling in spectacular fashion.

The far more consequential story, however, involves Moreno’s daughter, Emily, and her allegations against her former husband, Congressman Max Miller.

Emily Moreno has accused the congressman of abusive and threatening behavior during and after their marriage, allegations that reportedly include incidents that left her fearing for her safety and that of their young child. Miller has denied wrongdoing and has disputed the accusations.

What has been most striking is not simply the allegations themselves but the older Moreno's public response.

For weeks, he remained largely silent as accusations against his son-in-law dominated headlines. He initially questioned aspects of his daughter's account before eventually coming to her defense.

Only after the dispute became impossible to ignore did Sen. Moreno publicly condemn Miller, calling him "dangerous" and saying he needed "serious psychological help."

Wow, what is going on behind the closed doors at the Miller and Moreno homes? But all this begs the question. If Moreno believed Miller posed such a danger, why did it take so long to say so publicly?

In situations involving allegations of domestic abuse against your child, silence is chilling. Whether in politics or in ordinary families, hesitation can send a frightening message about whose interests come first. And with all things Trump, is Sen. Moreno not only afraid of what Miller knows, but is he also afraid of Dear Leader Donald?

The episode reflects how today’s Republican Party puts approval from Trump above all else.

And you can be sure, Trump was singing the praises of Moreno last week. His profane exchange with Dr. Anthony Fauci drew more attention than anything he’s ever done, which is basically nothing.

His hideous performance and despicable treatment of Dr. Fauci also did something else. It raised the story of what’s going on behind his closed doors with his daughter and son-in-law into a national story, and what a disgrace these two have become for the voters of Ohio.

The state’s once-proud congressional delegation continues to drift further from the glory days of Ohio’s congressional behemoths who put honor above salaciousness.

If Bernie Moreno had never made LGBTQ+ people and "family values" central to his political identity, questions about his personal life would be far less relevant. But he now doesn't get to blame an intern for something that clearly goes much deeper.

The same applies to Max Miller. The allegations made by his former wife are serious, and he has denied them. They deserve a thorough airing of the facts, not partisan spin or family damage control. Graham Platner was deservedly kicked to the curb from allegations of his treatment of women.

The GOP screamed about Platner. They’re staying mum on Miller.

Whether the questions at hand involve allegations of abuse, inconsistent public and private conduct, or delayed responses when the issue surrounds your own flesh and blood, the public deserves clear answers.

Politicians who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. They shouldn't keep the doors locked, either.

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