Sen. Bernie Moreno publicly addressed a long-running family and legal dispute involving his daughter and her ex-husband, Rep. Max Miller, calling Miller’s statements “the ramblings of a madman” and arguing the matter has been devastating for his family while Miller denies any criminal wrongdoing and insists he will continue his campaign.

Sen. Moreno spoke at the Capitol about a personal, two-year dispute tied to his daughter and her former husband, Republican Rep. Max Miller. Reporters pressed him for reactions as the situation has drawn national attention and legal filings. Moreno framed his comments around the safety and wellbeing of his family rather than political consequences. He made clear the matter has been ongoing and painful for those closest to him.

When a reporter asked whether Miller had apologized, Moreno replied, “No, he did not.” He was then asked whether Miller should resign and answered directly, “absolutely and affirmatively, he shouldn’t serve in Congress. He needs serious help. That’s exactly what my statement says. My statement speaks for itself.” Moreno said his remarks were rooted in family harm, not political games.

A reporter noted Miller’s public response, which claimed it “was to protect from your own circus.” Moreno dismissed that reply bluntly as the “ramblings of a madman.” He made it plain he was not interested in debating spin or political positioning while his family deals with the fallout. His focus stayed on what his daughter and grandchildren are facing.

Moreno added, “Look, I don’t care about the politics of this. I hope that you guys understand, and maybe I hope you never have to understand what my daughter’s been through, what my daughter is going through, what my wife is going through … my two boys and my other daughter are going through.” He emphasized the emotional toll this has taken on every member of his household. He kept returning to the human cost rather than partisan angles.

This is truly the seventh level of hell. This has been a horrific experience for my entire family. My daughter specifically, did not want this to be out in the public. That’s why she asked me to say ‘lower the temperature.’ You gotta remember, when you don’t have kids and you get divorced, you can just say farewell. You never have to see each other again. But when you have a child, you have to co-parent with that individual for the rest of your life. That means scheduling pickups, scheduling drop-offs. This is not something that you can just say, I’ll never have to deal with this guy again. My daughter lives in constant fear of this man, not like something that’s existential, but deeply in her heart, she fears what this guy is capable of.

Sen. Moreno continued by describing how private family matters became public and why that exposure matters to him as a father. He repeatedly stressed that his choices were shaped by his daughter’s wishes and her safety. The senator argued that the public release of private material crossed legal and moral lines. He refused to let political calculation be the lead in how he spoke about the case.

You can’t even— you can’t fathom what that makes me feel like. When the dad’s number one job is to protect your kids and to have this whole thing out in the public like this is not what I wanted to do. It’s not what my daughter wanted to do. But on Sunday, when he went out and did what he did, including releasing photos of my granddaughter completely naked, that now you have hundreds of thousands of psychotic human beings that have that. And to say ‘oops’ is grotesque. My personal opinion is that this is a felony and that every single human being that touched that photo and transmitted it electronically should go to jail because it is illegal to do that. This has been brutal beyond comprehension, and if there’s any minimum standard for being an elected official As I said, he fails to meet that minimum basic standard. I don’t care about the politics at all. Don’t think about it. Doesn’t enter my consciousness.

When asked why he had not spoken sooner, Moreno said he had obeyed his daughter’s request for privacy. He told reporters, “When your daughter tells you you have to de-escalate this thing because you want to keep it private, you— this has been going on for two years. Why did you just cover it today instead of covering it a year ago?” His point was that family safety and de-escalation guided his public comments.

He further explained that “This was about de-escalation.”

Miller and Emily Moreno were married in August 2022 and welcomed a daughter in November 2023. Miller filed for divorce in August 2024, and the divorce was finalized in June 2025 with an agreement for joint custody and a monthly child support payment set at $2,500. Those dates and arrangements have provided the framework for the custody and legal disputes that followed.

Emily Moreno has accused Miller of multiple abusive acts during the marriage and after the split, including throwing hot water, holding a gun to her head while she changed an infant’s diaper, and physical violence during a custody exchange. She also pointed to concerns about their child’s broken collarbone and bruising while in Miller’s care, and in a police interview she said, “I was just, like, scared of him a lot, and that’s why I left the house and why I moved out.” Those allegations have been central to the public discussion.

Miller has denied the accusations, noting that no criminal charges have been filed and that the courts continued to allow joint custody during the process. He has accused his former wife of having mental health problems and filed a defamation lawsuit in May. Those legal counters are now part of the larger fight unfolding in public and in court filings.

On a recent livestream, Miller told supporters, “I’m not getting out of this race, and I’m winning in November.” He also said, “No court, no agency has ever substantiated any allegation of abuse against me. No criminal charge has ever been filed against me.” He framed his stance as both legal denial and political resolve as the dispute continues to play out in public.

From a conservative perspective, Moreno’s comments underscore a demand for accountability and the importance of basic standards for anyone holding office. The senator’s emphasis on family safety and private harm cuts across partisan lines even as it fuels calls among some Republicans for clearer answers and consequences. The case remains active, with legal and political consequences likely to follow as both sides press their claims.

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