丹・科恩对面坐着一位老同学，两人年少一起打棒球时，对方常年处处针对、刁难他。 这天，这位老同学心里压着一件事，终于想一吐为快。
科恩回忆，这次谈话发生在 2011 年前后，当时对方刚戒酒，主动为从前欺负自己的行为道歉。 科恩说，那会儿他十分动容，以为眼前这个人真的改过自新了。
如今，他却再也不这么认为。
科恩口中的这位老同学，正是俄亥俄州共和党联邦众议员马克斯・米勒。米勒眼下正深陷舆论漩涡，前妻指控他家暴、情绪失控，他的连任竞选因此饱受非议。
米勒的前妻艾米丽・莫雷诺指控，米勒曾拿枪抵住她的脑袋，还把滚烫的热水泼向她。与此同时，莫雷诺的律师也向法院申请针对米勒的限制令，律师在上月提交的文件中称，这名议员在法庭外对他进行肢体挑衅，还出言诋毁他未婚妻的外貌。
上周米勒做客 CNN 杰克・塔珀的访谈节目，言辞激烈地全盘否认所有指控，反称前妻 —— 俄亥俄州共和党参议员伯尼・莫雷诺的女儿 —— 是出于政治目的捏造谎言。
现年 37 岁的米勒拒绝退出国会竞选，反倒主动要求众议院道德委员会调查相关指控，声称调查最终会证明自己清白。该委员会已于上周正式立案。记者就此文联系米勒，他并未予以回应。
CNN 梳理了公开档案，并采访了六名以上米勒的老同学、旧识，复盘其过往言行，发现米勒从少年到成年，始终难以控制暴躁情绪；他举止强势、言语刻薄，时常让身边同龄人感到不适，醉酒后尤甚。
谈及十五年前米勒那次道歉，科恩表示：“至少在当时我所知范围内，他看起来确实有所转变。但现在我对他的看法完全变了。” 一点就炸的挑事者
马克斯・伦纳德・米勒出身俄亥俄州东北部富裕世家，家族根基深厚。祖父塞缪尔是知名地产开发商，热衷公益，出资创办多项基金会，资助大屠杀历史教育与纪念项目。
米勒的父母接手经营家族产业，打理克利夫兰地区多家慈善机构。和米勒、他弟弟杰克一同长大的友人回忆，他家安息日晚餐氛围融洽，父母十分顾家，每场青少年球赛都会到场观赛助威。
科恩和米勒当年在棒球队同为捕手，常年同台竞技，他说：“他家待人十分热情，是个很好做客的地方。”
旧识们称，米勒的弟弟杰克待人友善温和，马克斯却口碑截然相反。同学们告诉 CNN，米勒偶尔也会展现魅力，但多数时候极具攻击性。
科恩说：“他待人分两种状态，单独相处和众人聚会时判若两人。一对一相处时，他会放下防备，真诚又讨喜。”
儿时相识的里弗・麦克威廉斯评价米勒 “脾气火爆”。高中打球时，他和其他青春期运动员一样容易失控，击球失误就猛摔头盔。而赛场之外，麦克威廉斯说：“要是派对上他喝多了，动不动就主动挑事、挑起冲突，他一直就是这种人。”
另一位不愿透露姓名、担心遭到报复的前棒球队友透露，就连不少家长都对米勒心存忌惮：“一方面是他家有钱有势，另一方面他本身脾气极差。”
同班女生布莱尔・库里特回忆，米勒性格强势，还极度歧视女性。她告诉 CNN：“我不觉得他有女性朋友，为人蛮横，那时候就明显厌恶女性。”
另一名同样匿名受访、害怕被报复的女同学表示，米勒极易动怒，高中时期待人毫无温柔可言，“女生都不愿和他亲近”。多名前棒球队员也向 CNN 证实，米勒总吹嘘自己的风流情史，拿女生的身材、体重肆意嘲讽贬低。
一桩在老同学间广为流传的旧事发生在 2006 年春天的一场派对上：一名少女拒绝米勒的示好后，米勒将她推下楼梯。
麦克威廉斯向 CNN 回忆，这场派对就在米勒家中举办，女孩当时崩溃的样子他至今记忆犹新。他虽未亲眼目睹事发过程，但事发后立刻撞见了女孩。“她哭得撕心裂肺，我陪着她沿着街道走，不停安抚，确认她有没有受伤，要不要就医。”
政治新闻网站《Politico》早在 2021 年最先曝光此事。这名女子拒绝接受 CNN 采访，但她此前给《琼斯母亲》记者发消息称，那晚是 “我人生中创伤最重的夜晚之一”。
多年来记者多次追问米勒，他始终否认这件事发生过。
库里特还想起少年时期另一场派对，米勒的发言让她十分不适。当时她和朋友聊大学规划，米勒突然说自己打算参军，这样就能 “射杀阿拉伯人”。
“我记得特别清楚，那句话让我心里很不舒服。” 库里特说，这和沙克高地社区崇尚自由包容的风气完全相悖。 年少劣迹：酗酒、暴力、多次涉警
法院与警方卷宗显示，米勒年轻时多次卷入纠纷，大多和酗酒、吸毒、暴力冲突相关。
2007 年，米勒被控 “醉酒扰乱公共秩序” 以及 “妨碍公务”。沙克高地市法院封存了完整案卷，但公开案件记录显示，他作为初犯接受改造项目，当庭无抗辩认罪，指控最终撤销。
《华盛顿邮报》最先报道该案，披露米勒因涉嫌从背后猛击一名男子，随后逃离警方追捕而被捕。
次年夏天，米勒因未成年饮酒被起诉，同样无抗辩认罪，案卷也被法院封存。
CNN 就这些过往指控联系米勒，他未作出回应；当年《华盛顿邮报》采访他时，米勒表示：“年少时谁都会犯错，过去的我早已不是现在的我。”
几年后的 2010 年，米勒在克利夫兰海茨繁华的考文垂街区参加派对，凌晨两点在一家水烟馆与人斗殴，一拳砸穿玻璃窗。
CNN 获取的警方笔录记录，米勒左手腕大量出血，随后被送往医院，他因故意损毁财物（轻罪）收到罚单。
约九个月后，米勒在俄亥俄州牛津市的迈阿密大学再度和警方产生冲突。他驾驶吉普车撞上路灯杆，被控酒驾。警方记录显示，次日清晨找到他时，他双眼布满血丝、满身酒气，额头还有擦伤。尽管血液酒精检测数值未达酒驾标准，但后续实验室化验显示，他体内检出摇头丸、氯硝西泮等毒品。
这场事故似乎成了米勒人生的转折点。差不多就在这段时间，他开启戒酒康复之路，主动向前棒球队友科恩道歉。另有两名消息人士向 CNN 证实，当时米勒确实在积极戒酒，状态明显好转。 投身政坛，成为特朗普忠实支持者
2013 年米勒从克利夫兰州立大学毕业后，加入海军陆战队预备役，随后踏入政坛。他先是参与马可・卢比奥总统初选竞选团队，之后投奔彼时参选的特朗普，效力其 2016 年总统竞选团队。
特朗普胜选后，米勒进入白宫任职，和时任白宫新闻秘书斯蒂芬妮・格里沙姆相恋。 一年后两人不欢而散。格里沙姆在回忆录中写道，自己曾和一名白宫工作人员交往，对方存在肢体暴力行为。
书中虽未点名，但外界普遍认定此人就是米勒。2021 年米勒起诉格里沙姆诽谤，坚决否认家暴对方，后来又主动撤诉。格里沙姆此后从未公开谈及这段感情。
2021 年特朗普卸任后，米勒重新联系上艾米丽・莫雷诺，二人早在卢比奥竞选期间就相识。2022 年，两人在新泽西州贝德明斯特的特朗普国家高尔夫俱乐部成婚。
2022 年 11 月，凭借特朗普背书，米勒当选俄亥俄州第七选区联邦众议员，该选区是共和党稳固票仓。 婚姻破裂，家暴指控全面爆发
CNN 查阅公开司法文件，并采访一位不愿透露身份、担心遭报复的知情人士获悉，米勒与莫雷诺 2023 年 11 月女儿出生后，二人矛盾彻底激化。
这名熟悉夫妻二人的消息人士透露，这段短暂婚姻起伏不断。生下孩子后，米勒屡屡拿妻子产后发胖一事出言羞辱。结婚两年后，米勒提出离婚。二人分开后，围绕女儿抚养权的官司愈演愈烈，大量家暴指控随之曝光。
CNN 拿到警方执法录像，视频里莫雷诺情绪崩溃，讲述米勒拿枪抵住她头部的经过。此前二人女儿锁骨骨折，警方介入调查，分别询问莫雷诺和米勒；针对孩子受伤一事，警方未提起任何指控，也表示目前没有针对米勒或莫雷诺的在侦案件。
米勒在警方单独问询中全盘否认家暴，称前妻擅长操控人心，还声称她患有精神疾病。 拒不退选，硬扛舆论压力
本月初，米勒前岳父、资深共和党参议员伯尼・莫雷诺首次公开发声，舆论对米勒的审视进一步升级。莫雷诺在社交平台 X 发文：“马克斯自己私下也承认，他急需专业心理干预。他对我女儿构成威胁，每次他带走外孙女，我都提心吊胆。”
CNN 报道，共和党竞选顾问私下警告，共和党需要全力保住众议院席位，而米勒的连任竞选举步维艰。
俄亥俄州更换候选人的退选截止日期已过，米勒再也无法退出竞选、由他人顶替参选。
上周米勒接受 CNN 塔珀采访时表示：“我会继续参选，我一定能赢下这场选举。” 他还将自己当下的政治困境类比特朗普遭遇的各类风波。
老同学科恩表示，米勒如今这种好斗强势的性格，他一点都不意外。 “他从来没变过，还是当年那副样子。”
Former classmates describe Ohio Rep． Max Miller as ‘hotheaded’ and ‘misogynistic’
Dan Cohen sat across the table from a former classmate who had spent years antagonizing him when they were growing up together and playing baseball．
The classmate had something he wanted to get off his chest．
“He was newly sober and just apologizing for just being mean to me，” Cohen recalled of the conversation， which occurred around 2011．
At the time， Cohen said “it meant a lot” because he thought the man sitting across from him had changed his ways．
Now， he’s not so sure．
That former classmate， Cohen said， was Max Miller， the embattled Ohio Republican congressman whose reelection bid has been dogged by allegations of domestic violence and uncontrolled anger leveled by his ex－wife．
The claims by Miller’s ex－wife， Emily Moreno， include accusations that heheld a gun to her headand threw hot water at her． Moreno’s attorney， meanwhile， isseeking a restraining orderagainst Miller for himself， alleging in a filing last month that the congressman physically accosted him outside the courtroom and made disparaging remarks about his fiancee’s looks．
In afiery interviewwith CNN’s Jake Tapper last week， Miller denied the allegations and accused his ex－wife， the daughter of GOP Ohio Sen． Bernie Moreno， of fabricating claims for political reasons．
Miller， 37， has rejected calls to drop out of his congressional race． Instead， hecalledfor a House Ethics Committee investigation into his alleged conduct， which he says will exonerate him． The panel opened an investigation last week． He did not respond to requests for comment on this story．
A CNN examination of Miller’s past conduct， which included a review of public records and interviews with more than half a dozen former classmates and acquaintances revealed that Miller has struggled – as a youth and as an adult – with volatile outbursts and was known to have made his peers uncomfortable with aggressive behavior and insulting comments， at times while intoxicated．
“It did look like he was doing well for a little bit – at least from what I knew，” said Cohen about Miller’s apology some 15 years ago．
“I obviously think different of him now．”
A ‘hotheaded’ instigator
Max Leonard Miller was born into a wealthy family with a long history in northeastern Ohio． His grandfather Samuel was a well－known real estate developer acclaimed for his extensive philanthropy， including charities that helped fund Holocaust education and remembrance．
Miller’s parents stewarded his grandfather’s legacy， overseeing multiple charities in the Cleveland area． Friends who grew up with Miller and his younger brother Jake remember lively Shabbat dinners and involved parents – recalling Miller’s mom and dad attending sports games and cheering them on from the stands．
“It was just a very welcoming house to be in，” said Cohen， who competed against Miller on the baseball team since they both played the same position： catcher．
While Miller’s brother Jake was friendly and kind， acquaintances said， Max had a different reputation． Although he could be as charming at times， classmates told CNN， he tended to be confrontational．
“He was one of those kids where he would be different one－on－one versus in a group，” Cohen said． “When he was one－on－one with you， he could be endearing and honest and let his guard down．”
River McWilliams， who knew Miller growing up， described him as “hotheaded．” As a high school athlete， he said， Miller could throw tantrums typical of a teen player — such as slamming his helmet to the ground after a bad at－bat． But off the field， McWilliams said， “if you ran into him at a party when he had had a little too much drink， he would be quick to kind of like start fights and instigate stuff… He was that kid．”
Another former baseball teammate who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation told CNN that even some parents “were intimidated” by Miller． “It was a combination of his family and money dynamics and also his personality and having that temper．”
Blair Kurit， another classmate， said she remembered Miller as aggressive and sexist． “I don’t really think he was friends with any women． He was belligerent … and definitely misogynistic back then，” she told CNN．Another former female classmate who also requested to speak to CNN anonymously for fear of retaliation said Miller had a short temper． He “was not a gentle person” in high school， “not someone you wanted to be close with as a female，” she explained． Several former baseball teammates also told CNN they witnessed Miller brag about his sexual exploits and deride girls and women with comments about their physical appearances， particularly their weight．
One story that has circulated widely among Miller’s former classmates stemmed from a party around spring 2006， in which a teenage girl accused Miller of pushing her down some stairs after she rebuffed his advances．
McWilliams told CNN that the party took place at Miller’s parents’ house and that the girl’s distress remains fresh in his mind． He said he didn’t witness the incident， but that he encountered the girl right after she said it occurred． She was “hysterically crying，” he said． “I have vivid memories of walking her kind of down the street， comforting her， making sure that she was OK， checking to see if she needed， you know， medical attention or something like that．”
Politicowas the first to report about this incident in 2021． The woman declined to speak to CNN but hadtexted a Mother Jones reporterthat the incident “was one of the more traumatic nights of my life．”
Miller has repeatedly denied the allegation occurred when asked by reporters over the years．
Kurit remembered a different party when they were teenagers where Miller made her uncomfortable． While she and her friend discussed their college plans， Max “said he was going to join the Army， so he could ‘shoot some Arabs．’”
“I remember it because it really disturbed me，” she said． “It was like antithetical to the Shaker Heights ethos” – a reference to the community’s reputation as a liberal haven．
Returning home
Court and police records show that as a young man， Miller landed in troubling situations that often involved alcohol， drugs or violence．
In 2007， records show he was charged with “disorderly conduct／intoxication” and “obstruction of official business．” The files were sealed by the Shaker Heights Municipal Court， but the public docket for the case shows that the charges were dismissed after he pleaded “no contest” as part of a program for first time offenders．
The Washington Post， whichfirst reported on the case， disclosed that Miller was arrested for allegedly punching a man in the back of the head and then running from police．
The following summer， Miller was charged with underage consumption of alcohol． He pleaded no contest in that case， and the file was also sealed by the court．
While Miller did not respond to CNN’s specific requests about these charges， when contacted by the Post at the time， he said， “Growing up， everyone makes mistakes． … Who I was in the past is not who I am now．”
A couple of years later， in 2010， Miller was out with a group partying in the bustling Coventry neighborhood of Cleveland Heights when he got into an altercation at a hookah bar that ended with him punching through a window around 2 a．m．
The police report， obtained by CNN， described Miller as “bleeding heavily from his left wrist” and said he was taken to the hospital． He was issued a citation for criminal mischief， a misdemeanor．
About nine months later， Miller had another police run－in at Miami University in Oxford， Ohio． This time， he was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated after crashing a Jeep into a light pole． According to police records reviewed by CNN， he was discovered the next morning with “bloodshot eyes， an odor of alcohol， and an abrasion on his forehead．” Although he came in under the legal alcohol limit on his blood test， a subsequent lab test showed that Miller’s blood tested positive for drugs including MDMA and Clonazepam．
This incident seems to have been a turning point for Miller． Around this time， he apologized to Cohen， his old baseball teammate， as part of his sobriety journey．
Two additional sources who spoke with CNN confirmed Miller was actively in recovery and appeared to be turning a corner at this time．
MAGA ascendancy
After graduating from Cleveland State University in 2013， Miller served in the Marine Corps Reserves and subsequently moved into politics． He joined Marco Rubio’s primary campaign for president before linking up with then－candidate Donald J． Trump to work on his 2016 campaign．
After Trump’s victory， Miller served as a White House aide and entered into a relationship with press secretary Stephanie Grisham．
Their relationship ended acrimoniously around a year later， and Grisham wrote in her memoir about a physically abusive boyfriend who was also a White House staffer．
Although Grisham did not use his name， it seemed clear she was referring to Miller， and in 2021， he sued her for defamation． He has denied ever assaulting her． He later voluntarily dropped the lawsuit， and Grisham has not spoken publicly about the relationship since．
After Trump left office in 2021， Miller reconnected with Emily Moreno， whom he’d met years earlier while working on Rubio’s campaign． The two married in 2022 at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster， New Jersey．
In November 2022， with Trump’s endorsement， Miller was elected to Congress for Ohio’s 7th District – a solidly Republican seat．
A marriage on the rocks
After Miller and Moreno’s daughter was born in November 2023， their relationship became increasingly tumultuous， according to public records reviewed by CNN and a source who requested anonymity given fear of retaliation．
The source， who is familiar with the couple， told CNN that Miller and Moreno went through significant highs and lows during their short marriage． Following the birth of their child， the source said， Miller was cruel to his wife about her weight gain． Two years after their wedding， Miller filed for divorce． Since their split， a messy custody battle over the pair’s daughter has raged， bringing to light new allegations of abuse against the congressman．
Inpolice videos obtained by CNN， Moreno emotionally described an incident in which she says he held a gun to her． Police interviewed Moreno and Miller as part of an investigation into a broken collarbone suffered by their daughter； no charges were filed in relation to that injury and police told CNN there are no ongoing investigations into Miller or Moreno．
Miller， in separate police interviews， denied he ever abused her， called his ex－wife “manipulative” and alleged she struggles with mental illness．
Reelection defiance
Scrutiny has intensified as Miller’s former father－in－law， senior GOP Sen． Bernie Moreno， addressed the issue publicly for the first time earlier this month． “As he has admitted privately， Max Miller needs serious psychological help，” Morenosaid on X． “He is a danger to my daughter， and I hold my breath every minute he has custody of my granddaughter．”
Behind the scenes， CNN has reported， GOP strategists have warned that Millerfaces an uphillbattle to keep his seat as Republicans prepare for a significant fight to hang onto the House in the midterms．
The deadline for Miller to pull out of the race and be replaced by another candidate has now passed in Ohio．
“I’m going to continue to push． I am going to win this race，” Miller told CNN’s Jake Tapper last week， comparing his political struggle to that of Trump’s．
Cohen said his former classmate’s pugilistic demeanor does not surprise him．
“He is the same person who he was．”
