New reporting from Courier New York exposes vulnerable Republican Mike Lawler for defending his Republican colleagues accused of abuse and sexual misconduct —
that is, as long as they’re funding his campaign.
Lawler has pocketed $38,000 from Max Miller and Tony Gonzales and even defended Miller on national TV after his abuse allegations came to light.
Disgraced Congressman Max Miller has been accused by his ex-wife of throwing scalding water on her, holding a gun to her head, and fracturing their daughter’s collarbone, but Lawler called scrutiny against him “the typical Washington media game.” Lawler received $17,000 from Miller and has refused to return a dime.
And as pressure mounted against former Rep. Tony Gonzales for inappropriate sexual conduct with a staffer, Lawler said “it was up to Texas voters ‘to render a judgment.’” Lawler received $21,000 from Gonzales and has refused to return a dime.
REMINDER: Last year, Lawler declared that we need to “move on” from the Epstein files and called it “a colossal waste of time and effort.”
DCCC Spokesperson Riya Vashi:
“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. Lawler’s complicity is disqualifying, and Hudson Valley voters will fire him for a leader with real morals and values in November.”
Read more:
Courier New York: Mike Lawler wants accountability for Democrats accused of abuse, but gives Republicans a pass
The Hudson Valley congressman has said colleagues who “knew” about Eric Swalwell’s alleged misconduct should be “held accountable.” He’s applied no such standard to two Republican colleagues he has taken campaign cash from and defended amid abuse and misconduct allegations of their own.
- 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.
- Lawler applied a similar standard to Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner in June.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.”
- 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’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’s campaign did not respond to Courier New York’s request for comment.
