Rep. Mike Lawler has been unambiguous about what he expects of colleagues who stood by Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) amid sexual assault allegations: come clean or be held responsible.
“These allegations are disgusting, and anyone who knew of his seemingly consistent behavior should be held accountable for protecting him as well,” Lawler wrote in an Apr. 14 letter to Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Swalwell’s longtime friend and former national campaign chairman, demanding Gallego release all communications between the two men. “If you truly had no knowledge of his sexual assault allegations and inappropriate conduct towards young women, you should have nothing to hide.”
Days earlier, Lawler had posted on X that “the allegations against Eric Swalwell are deeply disturbing, and the women involved deserve to see justice served. There must be a full and thorough investigation into who knew what, and when.”
Lawler applied a similar standard to Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner in June, writing on X that Democrats “don’t actually care about Nazi affiliations or sexual abuse and harassment” in their defense of Platner.
But Lawler’s own record tells a different story when the colleague facing allegations is a fellow Republican—particularly one who has given money to Lawler’s campaign, or received it.
Max Miller’s money
Rep. Max Miller’s (R-Ohio) leadership PAC has donated $17,000 to Lawler’s campaign since 2022, according to FEC filings, including $10,000 in the current election cycle.
Miller’s ex-wife, Emily Moreno, has accused him in court filings of throwing scalding water on her, holding a gun to her head, and injuring their young daughter while in his care. Multiple Senate Republicans—including Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) and Moreno’s father, Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio)—publicly called on Miller to resign in early August. The House Ethics Committee opened an investigation, and its 60-day deadline passed in early September without any findings released.
Ohio’s Department of Children and Family Services later found the child abuse claim against Miller “unsubstantiated,” according to a police report obtained by The Washington Post. The agency found “no evidence” to support the allegation, though it separately found the abuse was “indicated” against an unknown “alleged perpetrator”—meaning investigators found signs abuse may have occurred but couldn’t identify who was responsible.
The agency also found “the domestic allegation” unsubstantiated, though the police report did not specify which allegation that referred to. In May, prosecutors declined to bring the case to a grand jury, citing “insufficient admissible evidence.”
In a recording released by Miller’s campaign to rebut the allegations, Moreno is heard saying, “You poured steaming hot water on me.” Miller responds, “I never thought that that hurt you… It was never done to hurt you with intent.” Moreno’s attorneys have said the recording amounts to an admission.
Asked on CNN in August why he wouldn’t return Miller’s PAC money, Lawler pushed back on host Dana Bash, calling the scrutiny “the typical Washington media game” and saying, “Thus far there’s been nothing to verify any of the claims that have been leveled.” When Bash noted she wasn’t the one making the allegations—Moreno and her father were—Lawler responded, “Do you have information that proves the allegation?” He added, “I know Max very well.”
Miller has faced abuse allegations dating back before he was elected to Congress in 2022. Former Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, who previously dated Miller, wrote in a 2021 Washington Post op-ed that their relationship had been abusive. Miller denied the allegation and sued Grisham for defamation.
The ‘great American patriot’ Tony Gonzales
Lawler’s relationship with former Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) ran in both directions: Gonzales’s PAC gave Lawler’s campaign $21,000, and Lawler’s own leadership PAC gave Gonzales $20,000, FEC records show. In 2024, Lawler called Gonzales “a great American patriot.”
Gonzales resigned from Congress in April, weeks after the House Office of Congressional Conduct found “substantial reason to believe” he’d violated House rules by having a sexual relationship with a staffer, Regina Santos-Aviles, who later died by suicide. A second former staffer also came forward, alleging Gonzales repeatedly sent her explicit texts and requests for nude photos.
As the allegations mounted in March—and as several House Republicans publicly called on Gonzales to resign—Lawler said the claims were “disturbing” and that “Tony has to answer a lot of questions,” but said it was up to Texas voters “to render a judgment.”
Like the money from Miller’s PAC, Lawler has not returned the $21,000 his campaign received from Gonzales’ PAC.
Lawler on the Epstein investigation
Lawler’s posture on sexual abuse allegations involving powerful men has extended beyond his colleagues. Asked in July 2025 about renewed scrutiny of Jeffrey Epstein’s case, Lawler told NewsNation’s Chris Stirewalt, “there’s a lot bigger issues facing this country than Jeffrey Epstein, the guy is dead and buried. Let’s move on.”
The next day, Lawler told CNN continued scrutiny of Epstein amounted to “a colossal waste of time and effort,” adding, “There are a lot of issues facing this country right now. A dead pedophile ain’t one of them.” Lawler later reversed course, voting in November to support releasing the full Epstein files.
DCCC spokesperson Riya Vashi said Lawler’s record reflects a broader loyalty to his party over principle.
“Mike Lawler’s loyalty to Donald Trump truly knows no bounds. He’s taken tens of thousands from Republicans facing serious abuse allegations, defended them on national TV, and even told Americans to ‘move on’ from the Epstein files,” Vashi said. “Lawler’s complicity is disqualifying, and Hudson Valley voters will fire him for a leader with real morals and values in November.”
Lawler’s campaign did not respond to Courier New York’s request for comment.
