Former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham has filed a restraining order against Rep. Max Miller, adding another legal front to a sprawling domestic abuse saga that now threatens the Ohio Republican's political future.
Grisham, who briefly dated Miller during the first Trump administration, filed the order in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, accusing the congressman of breaching a 2023 settlement agreement that included a nondisclosure provision barring disparaging public comments. The filing follows Miller's decision to post on X on May 7, publicly claiming Grisham had fabricated her abuse allegations against him, a move her attorneys say destroyed the "contractual benefit of peace and finality" the settlement was designed to protect.
The restraining order is the latest in a widening circle of legal and personal crises surrounding Miller. His ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), has separately alleged in court filings and police reports that Miller shoved her, dumped scalding water on her that left burn marks, and held a gun to her head. She is now seeking full custody of their two-year-old daughter.
Grisham first raised abuse claims in her 2021 memoir, "I'll Take Your Questions Now," writing that an ex-boyfriend, later identified as Miller, had physically abused her during their relationship. Politico reported at the time that Miller pushed Grisham against a wall and slapped her. Miller denied the allegations and filed a defamation lawsuit against her in Cuyahoga County, claiming she acted with "actual malice" to harm him, retaliate against the Trump administration, and boost book sales. A judge denied Miller's request for an immediate restraining order in that case.
The defamation suit settled in August 2023, weeks before it was due to go to trial. The settlement included the nondisclosure agreement that Grisham now alleges Miller violated.
Miller married Emily Moreno in 2022 at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He filed for divorce in August 2024, on their second wedding anniversary. The split has since produced a cascade of accusations. Emily Moreno's court filings allege a pattern of violence, and a police report from earlier this year raised concerns about their daughter's broken collarbone and "what appeared to be a handprint bruise" on the child's shoulder.
Miller has denied all of Emily Moreno's claims. He has also filed a defamation suit against his ex-wife, and he counter-alleged that she has bipolar disorder and was responsible for their daughter's injury.
On Sunday, Miller released a trove of records he argued would exonerate him. The effort appears to have backfired. Audio included in those records captured Miller acknowledging his ex-wife's claim that he dumped hot water on her in 2024. The same recordings included Emily Moreno accusing him of drug use.
In a June 5 interview with Spectrum News, Miller addressed the abuse allegations head-on. He told the outlet:
"Without question, every allegation should be taken seriously. What should be noted is that allegation came out on the same day as somebody's book launch."
Miller also pointed to his ex-wife as a character witness for the period covered by Grisham's claims:
"And the other part, what I would like to discuss, is my ex-wife was with me every single day during that time of my life... and she, in her own words, will tell you that I never did any of those things."
That defense has aged poorly. Emily Moreno is now the second woman to accuse Miller of domestic violence, and she has sought her own restraining order against him. A separate filing alleged Miller physically grabbed Emily Moreno's attorney, Andrew Zashin, during a February 1 hearing and used a slur against Zashin's fiancée.
Grisham sued Miller last month alleging the Spectrum News interview itself violated the NDA from their 2023 settlement. Her attorneys argued in the Monday filing that Miller's public statements, particularly his May 7 post on X accusing Grisham of fabricating her allegations, eroded the settlement's protections.
Sen. Bernie Moreno, Miller's former father-in-law, posted on X Sunday calling on Miller to step down from Congress. The Republican senator said he had tried to handle the matter privately but could no longer stay silent.
"Out of concern for the safety of my family, I hoped to keep this matter private, but Max Miller's increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior has made that impossible. He is a danger to my daughter, and I hold my breath every minute he has custody of my granddaughter."
Moreno added a pointed challenge to his party: "If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them." He also argued Miller needs psychological help. The senator's public demand for Miller's resignation marked a significant escalation, a sitting Republican senator calling out a Republican House member by name over conduct allegations.
President Trump addressed the situation Monday, telling reporters he would not intervene directly. "It's a very sad thing. I know Max. He's a good person. I'm going to let the families figure that out," the president said. He added: "But it's accusations, and I'm gonna let them figure that out." Trump has not revoked his endorsement of Miller.
Miller faced a Wednesday deadline to step aside so Ohio Republicans could nominate a replacement for his House seat. As of the article's publication, he had not done so. His team declined comment Tuesday. Attorney Mark Zaid, who represents Grisham, also did not respond to a request for comment.
The political stakes are real. A recent Democrat-sponsored poll showed Miller leading his Democratic opponent, Bernie-Sanders-backed Brian Poindexter, by just one point in Ohio's 7th District, a seat Trump carried by 11 percentage points in 2024. If accurate, the margin suggests the abuse allegations have already eroded Miller's standing in a district that should be safe Republican territory.
Miller has publicly vowed to stay in the race despite the mounting pressure. Meanwhile, an Ohio judge earlier dismissed Miller's own domestic violence petition against Emily Moreno, finding no evidence he was harmed, a ruling that further weakened his counter-narrative.
Two women. Two restraining orders. A custody fight over a toddler. A fellow Republican senator calling him unfit. And a House seat slipping toward competitive. If there is a path forward for Max Miller, it runs through a courthouse, not a campaign trail.
