Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton denies running away to avoid subpoena

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ran away in a truck to avoid being served a subpoena on Monday, The Texas Tribune reports.

In an affidavit filed on Monday, Ernesto Martin Herrera, a process server, detailed his attempt to serve the attorney general with a subpoena for a federal court hearing scheduled for Tuesday. The hearing is part of a lawsuit from nonprofits seeking to help Texas locals pay for out-of-state abortions.

Herrera wrote that when he arrived at the Paxton residence, a woman who identified herself as "Angela" (Paxton is married to state Sen. Angela Paxton) told him that Paxton was indisposed, but Herrera replied that he would wait.

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After waiting, he saw Paxton emerge and approach a vehicle in the driveway. Herrera began to approach Paxton, calling him by name. Herrera wrote, "As soon as he saw me and heard me call his name out, he turned around and RAN back inside the house through the same door in the garage." The word 'ran' is emphasized in capitals and bold print in the affidavit.

Later, Angela exited the house and started another truck in the driveway. He observed Paxton running out of the house and approaching the car. Herrera attempted to deliver the subpoena, but the attorney general ignored him. Herrera left the documents on the driveway, and the vehicle took off.

The attorney general replied to the Tribune report in a tweet on Monday evening, claiming that he left because he was concerned about his safety.