Gov. Abbott to Blake Farenthold: You pay the cost of the special election to replace you

John C Moritz Austin Bureau USA TODAY NETWORK | Corpus Christi

AUSTIN — In a tartly worded letter to former Rep. Blake Farenthold, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday told the Corpus Christi Republican it's his fault a special election is needed to fill his unexpired term, so he should bear the cost of keeping the polls open June 30.

"On behalf of voters in the 27th Congressional District and as Governor of the State of Texas, I am writing to demand that you cover all costs for the called special election to fill the seat now vacated following your resignation," Abbott said in his letter. "While you have publicly offered to reimburse the $84,000 in taxpayer funds you wrongly used to settle a sexual harassment claim, there is no legal recourse requiring you to give that money back to Congress."

Farenthold resigned April 6 amid controversy surrounding the settlement of a federal lawsuit filed in 2014 by his former communications director. The lawsuit and its settlement had been widely reported before Farenthold was re-elected in 2016, but a new firestorm erupted in December when it was learned that taxpayers underwrote the settlement's cost.

Abbott set the date for the special election on Tuesday.

Since leaving office, Farenthold has remained out of sight. His 7,487-square-foot home, which sites on a 1.6-acre lot a block from Corpus Christi Bay has been on the market for more than two years with an asking price of $1.7 million, according to the online listing.

When Farenthold initially promised to repay taxpayers for the lawsuit settlement, his then chief of staff said his boss had applied for a second mortgage on his house to cover its cost.

"He is putting up his house (as collateral)," aide Bob Haueter said at the time. "He doesn't have that kind of money just sitting in his checking account."