Speaker Mike Johnson delivered a startling response to the unfolding controversy surrounding Rep. Max Miller (R-OH), who has been accused of abusing his wife and daughter and later releasing a trove of private documents that may have included an image of his toddler's naked body.
“It’s part of being flawed humans," Johnson said. "We have to let those processes play out.”
Johnson spoke with Politico's "The Conversation" Wednesday morning as news broke that Rep. Chuck Edwards would not seek reelection after a congressional probe revealed inappropriate behavior with female staffers.
Calls have also been mounting for Miller to step down, including from Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH), father of Emily Moreno, the woman who accuses the Republican congressman of abuse.
Miller has repeatedly denied all allegations against him, which include drawing a gun on Emily Moreno and scalding her with hot water.
On Tuesday, Emily Moreno's lawyer accused Miller's attorney, Aaron Minc, of distributing an inappropriate photo of their daughter, undressed.
"Yesterday, you enabled your client, Congressman Max Miller, to share and disseminate to the public an electronic Dropbox folder of materials," Subodh Chandra wrote in a court filing. "At least one of those images could be considered Child Sexual Abuse Material."
Minc later apologized — a fact Miller was quick to point out to CNN anchor Jack Tapper on Tuesday, stating, "I didn't do this — my attorney took full responsibility."
Sen. Moreno has also accused Miller of holding his toddler's toy rabbit "hostage" as tensions mounted between the two Ohio Republicans.
"Max would not hand over the little blue bunny," Sen. Moreno said. "This girl was crying at night because she can't sleep without her little blue bunny... His answer is, 'I'm just not gonna give it to you.'"
Johnson told Politico Wednesday all members of Congress have "domestic events."
“Look, I pine for the days when we don’t have these kinds of disturbances, when we got people who act in accordance with the dignity of their office," Johnson said. "But people have domestic disputes."