CNN anchor Jake Tapper challenged Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) as the lawmaker tried to defend himself against claims of abusing his ex-wife and daughter amid growing calls for him to resign.
Tapper pressed Miller to respond to the allegations and sought more information about what happened involving his 2-year-old daughter and former wife, Emily Moreno, daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH), who broke his silence this weekend over the ongoing legal battle.
"Congressman, I'm not talking about whether or not it was legal or illegal to record your ex-wife," Tapper said. "I'm saying that the reason we didn't air it is because it was our understanding that the recording was done without her permission. That's something else. That's discretion. That's journalism. That's not a question of legality. But let's talk about it because there is a police report from the suspected child abuse incident in February involving your daughter."
Tapper discussed the child protection report that indicated Miller's daughter had a right clavicle fracture and "a bruise that accompanies the injury that appears to be in a handprint and appears to have been inflicted."
"Now, your ex-wife stated to police that your child told her in the days leading up to the discovery of the injury, 'daddy, kill you,'" Tapper said. "And your ex-wife also said your child had said, 'daddy angry and daddy's house is scary.' Now, according to your wife, your daughter articulated these statements to children and family services. So can you explain why your child may have said those things?"
Miller denied his daughter's statements and the abuse allegations.
"Jake, I wish you could talk to my beautiful baby girl," Miller said. "She can't string together sentences like that. She's two and a half years old. She doesn't have the ability to articulate any of what you just said. That is an entire fabrication of the truth. I have actual video. Actual documentation."
Tapper interjected and pushed back.
"But didn't you just tell me that two investigators told — you just told me that she had said that she was scared to go to mommy's house," Tapper said.
"She is. And I have video of it," Miller said.
Tapper didn't back down from Miller's claims.
"But now you're saying that she's not capable of saying, daddy kill you? I mean, it seems like she's either able to say one, but not the other," Tapper said. "That doesn't make sense."
