How Max Miller Avoids Holding a Real Town Hall

It’s been one full year since Congressman Max Miller of Ohio’s 7th Congressional District held a genuine town hall meeting with his constituents. In that time, Miller has ducked, dodged, and deflected every attempt by voters to get him to face the public in an open and unscripted setting.

The dodging began shortly after Donald Trump returned to the presidency in January 2025. With new right-wing policies rolling out at breakneck speed, Americans across the country began turning out in the thousands to voice their concern—and in many cases, outrage. Town halls became the frontline of democratic pushback, with impassioned citizens demanding answers from their elected representatives.

But not from Max Miller.

Miller initially scheduled a town hall meeting early in the year—only to abruptly cancel it. Around that time, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson publicly advised Republican members to avoid town halls altogether, claiming they were being hijacked by “paid protesters.” It was a weak excuse, quickly dismantled by images and videos from across the country showing peaceful, passionate constituents showing up on their own dime, speaking from the heart.

When that justification failed to stick, Johnson pivoted to “security concerns.” Again, reality didn’t back him up. Not a single member of Congress has been threatened or attacked at any of the many town halls that have taken place nationwide. On the contrary, the few violent incidents that have occurred were directed at attendees, not their representatives.

With pressure mounting, Miller attempted a workaround: a so-called telephone town hall. It was a tightly controlled event where his office could screen who was allowed to speak, preselect questions, and mute dissent. It was less a conversation and more a scripted PR exercise.

His constituents weren’t fooled. Frustrated voters began referring to him online as “Missing Max.” The nickname stuck. Calls for a real, in-person town hall intensified.

Eventually, Miller emerged for a brief “meet and greet” at a bar in Strongsville. Hosted by local Republicans, the event was informal and far from inclusive. He fielded a few safe questions in a friendly environment, then tried to market it as a town hall. But his district didn’t buy it. They wanted a real forum—one where all constituents, not just political allies, could attend and speak freely.

Fed up with the stalling, the 7th District Democratic Alliance decided to take matters into their own hands. In April, the group announced an “Empty Chair Town Hall” for May 24th—a public event where Max Miller was invited but expected not to show. The symbolism was clear: the chair was there, but the congressman wasn’t.

This move apparently rattled Miller. Suddenly, another “town hall” appeared—but this one was hidden in plain sight. Quietly announced in the print edition of a small suburban newspaper, Miller’s office scheduled a gathering in a room that seated just 60 people. Registration was by phone only, and those who called were quickly told there were no spots left.

There was no announcement on Miller’s website. Nothing on social media. No email blast to constituents. No press release. Why reserve a room that fits only 60 people when dozens of larger venues are available throughout the district? Why keep it quiet if it was meant to be a genuine town hall?

The answer seems obvious: it wasn’t. This was an effort to look like he was responding to public pressure, without actually doing so.

Miller’s game plan is clear: stage a tightly controlled event with limited access, then point to it as proof that he’s “listening” to his constituents. It’s a sleight of hand designed to pacify critics and check a box, not to engage in meaningful dialogue.

But it might not work. With the May 24th Empty Chair Town Hall expected to draw a sizable crowd—and media attention—the pressure on “Missing Max” is only going to intensify. His team may try to say, “Look, a town hall is coming just days later!” But will voters accept yet another half-measure in a series of calculated evasions?

At some point, constituents will demand more than hollow gestures. They deserve answers. They deserve transparency. They deserve a real town hall. The question now is whether Congressman Max Miller will finally show up—or keep hiding behind the illusion of access.