鈥� a disgraced former Texas congressman who resigned last month 鈥� will not fund the special election to replace himself, he told Gov. in a letter Wednesday, .
Abbott had that Farenthold pay for the election, set for June 30, as a form of recompense: Farenthold resigned in April, months after it came to light that he had settled a sexual harassment claim from a former staffer with $84,000 of taxpayer money.
That payment mechanism is allowed under federal law but has nonetheless drawn sharp criticism on both sides of the aisle since it was uncovered last fall. Farenthold had originally pledged to repay that sum to taxpayers, but , claiming he is acting on the advice of his lawyers.
Farenthold, who is worth well over $2 million, according to a recent financial disclosure , has now said he won鈥檛 pay for the election either.
鈥淪ince I didn鈥檛 call it and I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 necessary, I shouldn鈥檛 be asked to pay for it,鈥� his letter said.
Neither Abbott nor Farenthold immediately returned a request for comment.
The special election was set for earlier than Texas law generally allows because, Abbott , filling Farenthold鈥檚 seat in the Harvey-devastated Corpus Christi area constituted an 鈥渆mergency.鈥� Attorney General gave Abbott the to call the election for next month. Nine candidates have for that race.
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