Mike Johnson Says Embattled House Republican’s Fate Is ‘an Issue for the Voters’

J. Scott Applewhite/Joe Maiorana, File/AP Photos

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) refused to speak out on behalf of embattled House Rep. Max Miller (R-OH), who has been entrenched in an ongoing domestic abuse drama with his ex-wife, Sen. Bernie Moreno’s (R-OH) daughter.

Miller has vehemently denied allegations domestic abuse allegations from Emily Moreno, including claims he threw scalding water at her, held a gun to her head, and broke their 2-year-old’s collarbone.

Bernie Moreno was publicly drawn into the conflict in recent days, saying his ex-son-in-law has dragged the family through the “seventh level of hell.”

Moreno joined CNN’s Jake Tapper Tuesday for what many declared a disastrous interview, in which he claimed Johnson was standing by him.

Politico’s Dasha Burns asked Johnson point blank about Miller’s claim in a sit-down interview:

DASHA BURNS: Miller’s ex-wife said he poured hot water on her, held a gun to her head broke their daughter’s collarbone. Miller has of course has denied these allegations but today he said on CNN that you are “standing behind him.” Are you?

MIKE JOHNSON I haven’t spoken to Max in a few days, I’ve been traveling nonstop haven’t had an opportunity to do that.

I think what Max is suggesting there is that I’ve been intellectually consistent always have since before I became speaker and certainly over the last almost three years — this applies equally to Republicans and Democrats — we don’t take disciplinary action against members for allegations.

He’s vehemently denying this, its in his own words a nasty divorce proceeding and its gotten ugly and its gotten public, but he’s saying the same things privately to members that he is publicly that he denies all this, and he thinks its a hit job on him.

BURNS: Will you tell him to drop out?

JOHNSON: No, I will tell Max what I tell everyone: these are serious allegations. I’m the father of two daughters who work in Capitol Hill I mean the allegations are serious. I think Max is taking them seriously. I think our colleagues are, but again we have to allow this process to play out its just begun.

BURNS: I mean the president called him — Max Miller said, this that the president called him and told him things aren’t looking good for you.

JOHNSON: Well they don’t look good right now of course, but again what should a speaker do in this case?

I mean I call out alarming behavior, I try to work every day on decorum and on the ethics of the House we have a very active and engaged ethics committee, they’ve done more work than they need to, I wish it wasn’t necessary. But there’s been a lot in this Congress on both sides of the aisle.

The speaker went on to say he wouldn’t use the interview as a chance to “say something negative” about Miller, adding, “I don’t return fire.”

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