Rep. Max Miller’s ex-wife, Emily Moreno, has filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of their two-year-old daughter, accusing the Ohio Republican and his attorney of “recklessly” publishing an unredacted nude photograph of the child online.
The lawsuit marks the latest development in an increasingly bitter and public custody battle between Miller and Moreno as the congressman refuses to abandon his re-election campaign.
Moreno has previously accused Miller of pointing a gun at her head, throwing scalding water on her, pushing her into a wall and physically abusing their daughter, allegedly fracturing the toddler’s collarbone. Miller has denied wrongdoing.
Moreno’s father, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, has also accused Miller of “increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior” and called for him to end his re-election campaign.
The latest controversy stems from a livestream earlier this month in which Miller posted a Dropbox link containing files that reportedly included his daughter’s full, unredacted name and a nude photograph of the child.
Miller attorney Aaron Minc subsequently apologized and took responsibility for the photograph becoming public, saying its release was “completely my fault.”
On Wednesday, Moreno attorney Subodh Chandra announced that a civil rights lawsuit had been filed in federal court on the child’s behalf against Miller, Minc and Minc LLC.
The 20-page complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and brings federal and state claims, including allegations involving disclosure of intimate images, invasion of privacy, negligence and civil conspiracy.
Chandra said the federal law cited in the lawsuit provides for statutory damages of $150,000 for each disclosure and transfer, along with attorney fees and injunctive relief.
According to Chandra, the Dropbox folder contained a photograph showing the toddler’s uncovered genitalia. He said a veteran pediatrician reviewed the photograph and confirmed what it depicted, disputing Minc’s previous claims that the child was partly clothed.
The complaint alleges Miller provided Minc with a large collection of documents and photographs as he attempted to defend himself amid public scrutiny and then distributed the Dropbox link online.
According to the lawsuit, two social media posts containing the link were viewed by more than 400,000 people. Minc has acknowledged that the photograph remained publicly available for approximately 23 hours.
The complaint also alleges the Dropbox files displayed the child’s unredacted name more than 70 times.
Moreno’s attorneys further accused Miller and Minc of misleading the media about the photograph, claiming they attempted to direct attention toward a separate image of the child.
“This child is an entirely innocent victim who has become collateral damage to her father’s political ambition,” Chandra said.
Chandra accused Miller and Minc of displaying “incomprehensible recklessness” by making the photograph available online and vowed to pursue accountability under federal and state law.
Meanwhile, Miller has continued his campaign despite the allegations, with President Donald Trump reportedly remaining supportive of the embattled congressman.
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