WASHINGTON ― The House Ethics Committee on Tuesday launched an investigation into Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio) as he faces damning allegations that he abused his ex-wife and 2-year-old daughter.Miller asked that the panel formally look into his past behavior as he tries to move past calls for his resignation from within his own party, including from Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), who is the father of Miller’s ex-wife.The congressman has been on the defensive since his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, last week accused him of being an “abusive husband,” an “abusive father” and a “violent man.” In court filings, she claims the Ohio Republican held a gun to her head, scalded her by throwing hot water on her body, and fractured their 2-year-old daughter’s collarbone ― allegations the congressman has denied. The ethics panel announced its probe shortly after Miller announced on social media that he was submitting paperwork to the committee to begin its investigation in order “to clear my name from these horrific attacks on myself and family.”“I have absolutely nothing to hide,” Miller wrote. “We will be providing the committee all necessary documents needed for a detail[ed] examination,” he continued. “The accusations continue to change, but my facts stay the same. I am looking forward to my colleagues reading everything for themselves.”The House Ethics Committee soon announced it was looking into whether Miller had “engaged in domestic violence and abuse or illegal drug use.”The investigation comes after a CBS News report claimed President Donald Trump had privately encouraged Miller to abandon his reelection campaign in Ohio’s 7th congressional district, according to several U.S. officials.Trump on Monday referred to Miller as a “good person,” but reportedly told him in a phone call that “things aren’t looking good,” according to Axios.Miller was first elected to the House in 2023 after serving as a political appointee during the first Trump administration. If he were to drop his reelection bid, he’d have to do so by Tuesday night, the deadline by which local officials could hold a special primary for someone to take his place as the GOP candidate.In a livestream posted to social media over the weekend, Miller said he is not resigning, despite calls by Sen. Moreno and other Senate Republicans to do so.In the video, Miller denied allegations that he abused his wife and young daughter, asserting he has extensive evidence that proves his innocence, like the fact that he and his wife maintained a friendly relationship after the alleged incidents. “If I had assaulted her, would she have offered to cook me dinner six days later?” he said.Professionals helping survivors of domestic violence say Miller’s claims do not exonerate him, and are a standard tactic used to diminish abuse allegations.“Survivors often continue to care for or stay with a partner between incidents out of fear, love, hope for change, or to protect their children, but that is not evidence that abuse didn’t happen,” a spokesperson for the Ohio Domestic Violence Network said in a statement to HuffPost. “It’s one of the most common ways survivors are discredited when they come forward.”The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence also condemned Miller’s comments in a news release, stating that the congressman’s assertion is a dangerous misconception.“Survivors do not always have the freedom to respond in ways that outsiders expect,” said Ivonne Ortiz, the center’s vice president of capacity building and awareness. “An everyday act such as preparing a meal may be a carefully considered safety strategy. It should never be treated as evidence that violence did not occur.” The CDC estimates that 43.5 million women and 20.7 million men in the U.S. have experienced abuse by an intimate partner, including sexual or physical violence or stalking.“These victims are our friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, other community members, and even ourselves,” a spokesperson for the National Network to End Domestic Violence said in a statement to HuffPost. “Every victim and survivor of abuse knows their situation best, and they deserve to make the choices that are right for them. We all have a responsibility to believe, support, and empower victims and survivors — and to reject abusers’ attempts to discredit them.”Sen. Moreno, who before Sunday had not publicly commented on the allegations, described the situation between Miller and his daughter as “the seventh level of hell,” while speaking with reporters Tuesday.“My daughter lives in constant fear of this man, not like something that’s existential, but deeply in her heart, she fears what this guy is capable of,” he said, adding that he did not previously comment on the situation at the request of his daughter, who had hoped to keep the matter private. The senator said he met Miller over the weekend at a local police station to pick up his granddaughter, but the representative refused to hand over a stuffed animal that belongs to the girl. “Max would not hand over the little blue bunny, literally held it hostage for 48 hours,” Moreno said. “This girl is crying at night because she can’t sleep without her little blue bunny.”Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.