Updated at 6 p.m.: To include a statement from Abbott spokeswoman Ciara Matthews.

AUSTIN — Former U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold heard Gov. Greg Abbott's request to help cover the cost of the special election to fill his seat.

But he's not going to pay.

Farenthold wrote a four-page letter to Abbott on Wednesday, saying there was no need for him to call the special election.

"Since I didn't call it and I don't think it's necessary, I shouldn't be asked to pay for it," the letter with Farenthold's signature reads.

Ciara Matthews, Abbott's deputy communications director, said Farenthold's decision was disappointing.

"But it's not surprising that his last act would be to stick taxpayers with the bill at the worst possible time," Matthews said in a prepared statement. "While Mr. Farenthold may consider this resolved, we're not closing the case on this issue."

Farenthold resigned April 6, a few months after dropping re-election plans amid revelations that he used $84,000 in taxpayer money to pay a woman who accused him of sexual harassment in 2014. He promised to repay the money to the federal government but has not done so, leading Abbott to ask Farenthold to reimburse the counties in his former district.

In his letter Wednesday, Farenthold argued that using taxpayer funds wasn't wrong because he took the money from a fund dedicated to settlement payouts. He said lawyers advised him against using his own money for the settlement because it would be "illegal and unethical."

"The way I understood it, my paying personally to resolve a dispute that I believed was totally frivolous could have been considered a bribe to the plaintiff to drop the suit," he wrote.

The Corpus Christi Republican said none of the allegations against him included physical harassment of a "sexual" nature. He repeated a previous admission that he had allowed his office to be unprofessional.

"I did, however, run a more informal office than some people may have expected from a career politician," he wrote.

He blamed the #MeToo movement, his support for President Donald Trump and the press for his resignation, citing political pressure.

Farenthold apologized for not letting Abbott know about his resignation before it happened, tossing in a jab about trying and failing to reach the governor.

"Unfortunately, the decision was made only a short time before the announcement and I have found from past experience it is next to impossible for me, even as a Member of Congress and long-time and active Abbott supporter (I even hosted an event for you at my house when you first ran for Attorney General) to get a phone call with you scheduled," he wrote. "I did not want to discuss the matter with your staff for fear of a leak to the press."

Farenthold also said he was disappointed Abbott released the letter before talking to him, calling him "an honorable man who is above cheap political shots, bullying and kicking someone while they are down," and chalking it up to "bad advice" from Abbott's staff.

According to Victoria County elections administrator Vicki Vogel, the special election to replace Farenthold will cost her county at least $20,000 — double that if there is a runoff. If the district's 13 counties each spent $20,000, that would put the total cost of the election well over $200,000.