Max Miller

Loyalty to Donald Trump has defined Max Miller’s political identity since the beginning, but Today in Ohio hosts say he might have been better off putting that loyalty aside in choosing a lawyer to represent him in a case with his ex-wife.

The lawyer in question is Alejandro Brito, who represented Donald Trump in a $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Miller — no relation to the congressman —eviscerated the case as unethical this week, and referred Brito to the Florida Bar for possible sanctions for attorney misconduct.

That’s the lawyer who Congressman Miller chose to represent him in a domestic dispute in Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court, a case that has been escalating in keeps resurfacing allegations of physical abuse against Miller.

“What is Max Miller thinking?” asked host Chris Quinn. “Why not get a good lawyer, a real lawyer to represent him? He might get better advice then about strategy instead of constantly endangering his reelection by once again highlighting two different women now have accused him of physical abuse.”

Quinn noted that Cleveland is home to some of the most respected law firms in the Midwest. Miller had options. Instead, he went with an out-of-state Trump-world attorney who doesn’t even have an Ohio law license — Brito had to seek special permission to practice in Cuyahoga County for this case.

And the legal strategy has been a publicity nightmare. Rather than quietly resolving a sensitive personal matter, Miller has repeatedly found himself back in headlines about the abuse allegations — headlines that are toxic for a congressman seeking reelection in a competitive district. Each new development in the case becomes another news cycle about claims he desperately needs voters to forget.

“I think this just all speaks to the Trump loyalty. Right?” said Laura Johnston. “Like the boot licking that we’ve talked about over and over again, that he stands for nothing except what Trump wants. And he’s currying favor in every which way, including using his lawyer.”

Brito’s most notable recent work — the Trump IRS lawsuit — was described by a federal judge as essentially a scheme to extract taxpayer money under the cover of a fabricated legal conflict. As Quinn explained on the podcast, Trump, as president, controls the IRS. Suing the IRS means suing himself. The judge saw through it and called out the misconduct openly.

Making matters worse, Miller isn’t up against a pushover on the other side. Subodh Chandra — former Cleveland city law director, former federal prosecutor, and one of the most prominent attorneys in Northeast Ohio — represents Emily Moreno. Chandra has handled landmark civil rights cases and has a reputation that commands respect in courtrooms across the region. As Quinn noted on the podcast, “If you’re going to go up against Subodh Chandra, you ought to get a lawyer who knows what they’re doing.”

Listen to the discussion here.

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