Rep. Mike Lawler (R-Hudson Valley) is refusing to return $10,000 in campaign donations from Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), who faces allegations of domestic abuse, per Politico reporting.
Miller’s Dependable Conservative Leadership PAC has funneled over $400,000 to fellow Republicans since 2021, including $10,000 to Lawler this cycle—the most any New York Republican has received from Miller in 2026. Of 16 GOP recipients of Miller’s PAC money contacted by Politico this week, only Rep. Brad Finstad (R-Minn) has confirmed returning his share. Lawler and 14 others have stayed silent or said they have no plans to give the money back.
Lawler had already taken $7,000 from Miller in prior cycles, per Federal Election Commission records, bringing his total haul from Miller to $17,000. Lawler’s own leadership PAC, MVL PAC, has given Miller $5,000 this year.
Asked whether Lawler planned to return the donations from Miller this cycle, his campaign told Politico there are “no plans to do so.”
Miller has repeatedly denied the abuse allegations made by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno—who is also the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio). Moreno has said his former son-in-law should not serve in the House, and his daughter holds an active restraining order against Miller tied to the allegations.
The House Ethics Committee has also opened an investigation into whether Miller “may have engaged in domestic violence and abuse or illegal drug use.”
According to reports, some White House officials and Republicans have privately urged Miller to drop out of his reelection race, worried the allegations could put his traditionally safe seat in play. However, members of President Donald Trump’s political team reportedly asked Ohio Republicans last week not to mount a public pressure campaign against him.
Lawler faces Democrat Cait Conley in what’s expected to be one of the most competitive House races in the country this November.
In a tweet, Conley called Lawler’s stance “disqualifying.“
“Mike Lawler’s refusal to condemn domestic abuser Max Miller and return $17,000 in donations from him is disqualifying,” she wrote. “Unsurprisingly, his decision comes on the heels of orders from Donald Trump to stand by Miller. It is the absolute bare minimum to call out this despicable behavior, but Mike Lawler’s loyalty to Donald Trump truly knows no bounds. Max Miller shouldn’t be in Congress and neither should Mike Lawler.”
In a statement shared with Courier New York, DCCC spokesperson Riya Vashi tied Lawler’s refusal to return the money to his broader deference to Trump: “MAGA lapdog Mike Lawler is so afraid to piss off Donald Trump that he’s refusing to condemn and return money from alleged domestic abuser Max Miller. Hudson Valley families deserve better than Lawler’s complicity.”
