Ken Paxton fled process server, abortion advocates tell federal judge
Ken Paxton #KenPaxton
Lawyers for abortion advocates said state Attorney General Ken Paxton fled his McKinney home Monday morning in an apparent attempt to avoid receiving two subpoenas to testify at a federal court hearing Tuesday in Austin.
The hearing will discuss a lawsuit by eight nonprofits that help pregnant Texans arrange and pay for abortions, and an abortion doctor, who are seeking protection against state laws that could bring heavy fines and jail time.
According to an affidavit filed Monday evening, a process server was met at the door by Paxton’s wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, who said Paxton was unavailable. While the process server waited outside, a black SUV pulled up to the driveway. Ken Paxton walked to the car but turned around and ran back into his garage when the server called out his name, according to the affidavit, which was first reported by the Texas Tribune.
A short time later, Angela Paxton got into a second vehicle, leaving the rear door open and starting its engine, after which Ken Paxton ran from the house to the truck.
“I approached the truck, and loudly called him by his name and stated that I had court documents for him. Mr. Paxton ignored me and kept heading for the truck,” process server Ernesto Martin Herrera said in the affidavit. “I stated that I was serving him with legal documents and was leaving them on the ground where he could get them.”
Paxton did not pick up the documents, and both vehicles left, the affidavit said, adding: “Service was completed at 9:50 am.”
Responding to a Texas Tribune story about the incident, Paxton tweeted: “This is a ridiculous waste of time and the media should be ashamed of themselves. All across the country, conservatives have faced threats to their safety — many threats that received scant coverage or condemnation from the mainstream media.”
According to the affidavit, the process server identified himself to Angela Paxton and handed over his business card at the start of the encounter.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Ken Paxton fled process server, abortion advocates tell federal judge