Rep. Max Miller’s ex-wife, Emily Moreno, is suing him for allegedly sharing a nude photograph of their 2-year-old daughter.
Moreno, 32, filed a civil rights action on behalf of her daughter in an Ohio court to accuse the Republican congressman, 37, and his attorney Aaron Minc of recklessly distributing the photo as part of a tranche of documents designed to combat ongoing scandals, per a lawsuit obtained by Us. (TMZ first reported the news.)
Miller announced via a livestream on August 2 that he would release a trove of documents to clear his name amid abuse and misconduct allegations — and one of those files was an allegedly nude photograph of his 2-year-old daughter.
The image was from a February 2025 text exchange between Miller and Moreno while coordinating custody arrangements. Miller asked to see a photo when Moreno mentioned their daughter had a bruise — which was later determined to be from a broken collarbone. (Police investigated the incident in 2025 but no charges were filed.)
In their lawsuit, Moreno accused Miller of having an “indifferent” reaction to the release of the photo since it remained publicly accessible with more than 400,000 combined views or interactions for 23 hours before being taken down.
She argues that Miller is liable to pay $150,000 for every disclosure or transfer of the image under federal law. Her lawyers also alleged that Miller could be liable for criminal penalties in Ohio for illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material.
Us has reached out to Miller’s officer for comment.
Miller’s lawyer Minc previously took responsibility for accidentally releasing the photo, explaining that he missed it while combing through the documents sent by the congressman.
“Unfortunately, I missed the last three pages of a 40+ page document with sensitive content,” Minc told CNN in a statement on August 4. “It was completely unintentional and a mistake. The moment I discovered the issue on Monday morning, I corrected the file immediately.”
The attorney stressed that he checked the documents multiple times to remove sensitive information, including Miller and Moreno’s daughter’s name.
“I am truly sorry to Congressman Miller, Ms. Moreno, both of their families, and, especially, to their daughter. I deeply regret the mistake,” Minc insisted.
Miller was asked by CNN’s Jake Tapper on The Lead on August 4 whether the leaked photo was proof of “shockingly reckless behavior” by the politician and his team.
“I wouldn’t say that it was shockingly reckless,” Miller replied. “That photo that was put in there is actually part of an investigation by the Child and Family Protective Services and that is already public knowledge … This is being taken very much out of context. There was no genitalia of my daughter that was exposed and this is once again a very salacious headline.”
Rep. Max Miller in 2024. Getty Images/Allison Bailey / Middle East Images via AFP
The photo’s release came amid a wave of negative publicity for the Ohio representative ahead of his reelection bid in November’s midterm election.
Following their 2024 divorce, Moreno publicly accused her ex Miller of domestic violence during their marriage. Multiple outlets reported numerous disturbing allegations in July, including Moreno accusing Miller of throwing hot water on her body and once holding a gun to her head. (Miller has denied any wrongdoing and previously sued his ex-wife for defamation.)
Emily’s father, Sen. Bernie Moreno, a fellow Republican politician, publicly denounced Miller following the release of the naked photo.
“As a father and husband, I can tell you the last two years have been pure hell for my wife Bridget, our daughter Emily, me, and our entire family in the aftermath of Emily’s divorce,” Bernie, 59, said in a statement shared via X on August 2. “It has been horrific to watch this play out in full public view, all while knowing an innocent 2-year-old girl is caught in the middle.”
He went on to call for Miller to resign, saying, “As he has admitted privately, Max Miller needs serious psychological help. He is a danger to my daughter, and I hold my breath every minute he has custody of my granddaughter. If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them. He should not serve in the House of Representatives.”
Earlier this week, reports emerged that President Donald Trump’s White House team personally intervened to ask Ohio Republicans to stop pressuring Miller to end his reelection campaign for the state’s 7th Congressional District seat. An unnamed official told Politico that the White House encouraged Ohio Republicans to “back off and let the voters decide.”
Us reached out to the White House for comment at the time.
The House of Representatives’ Ethics Committee confirmed it opened an investigation into Miller’s conduct on August 4. The results of the ethics probe are still pending, as of publication.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
