Top GOP Senator Declines to Back Calls for Max Miller to Resign: ‘It’s a Family Matter’

(AP Photo/Tom Brenner)

Majority Leader John Thune (R-SC) refused to join multiple of his Republican colleagues in calling for Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) to resign on Tuesday, calling the situation “a family matter.”

Emily Moreno, the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH), has accused Miller, her ex-husband, of physically and emotionally abusing her throughout their marriage, alleging he threw hot water on her, held a gun to her head, shoved her into a wall, and fractured their daughter’s collarbone. Miller has strongly denied the allegations and has filed a defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife.

Despite initially staying silent on the matter, Sen. Moreno finally made a longer statement on Sunday, in which he described Miller’s behavior as “increasingly erratic and dangerous,”  and declared the congressman “should not serve in the House of Representatives.”

He’s since been joined by other senators in disavowing Miller, including Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Roger Marshall (R-KS).

Yet on Tuesday, when asked by reporters if he sides with Sen. Moreno, Thune responded, “It’s a very sad and unfortunate case. It’s a family matter, and, um, I don’t have any observations beyond that.”

“If a member of Congress is facing allegations of domestic abuse, should they continue to serve?” another reporter questioned.

“Well, are you talking about this particular case?” Thune questioned, to which the journalist responded, “Yes.”

“This is a House matter. Obviously, as I said before, it’s a family issue too, in this case, but, um, I think, you know, those decisions on the future there are gonna be ultimately made by the people of Ohio. And I would say that about any similar case. It ultimately is an issue between whoever that person is and the voters that they represent, and obviously the institution that they serve,” the majority leader said.

Also on Tuesday, Miller said in a social media post that he plans to “file my own paperwork” to open a House Ethics investigation into himself.

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