Judge quashes subpoena as Texas AG claims server posed threat to family
Ken Paxton, Texas attorney general, speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas on July 11, 2021. Photo: Dylan Hollingsworth/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) claimed Tuesday that he fled a man serving a subpoena to him because he "perceived this person to be a threat."
Driving the news: A judge granted Paxton's request to quash the subpoena on Tuesday after the process server alleged that Paxton ran away from him and avoided him for more than an hour inside his house before leaving in a truck driven by his wife.
- Paxton is running to win a third term in November.
- The subpoena was related to a lawsuit involving abortion rights funding.
What he's saying: "[A] strange man came onto my property at home, yelled unintelligibly, and charged toward me," he said in a statement Tuesday. "I perceived this person to be a threat because he was neither honest nor upfront about his intentions."
- The process server is "lucky this situation did not escalate further or necessitate force," he added, noting that he takes "common-sense precautions for me and my family's safety" when at home.
The big picture: Paxton faces several legal challenges in addition to the abortion funding lawsuit, including a 2015 indictment on state securities fraud charges, an investigation over alleged corruption and a lawsuit brought by the Texas state bar, the Texas Tribune reports.