Former Rep. Blake Farenthold may have resigned from Congress, but his own governor is refusing to let him off the hook.
After it was revealed late last year that Farenthold used $84,000 in taxpayer money to settle a credible sexual harassment complaint advanced by a former staffer, the congressman denied the charges, but committed to repaying the sum. He then spent the winter hedging on that commitment, saying through spokespersons he was waiting for the Senate to take legislative action before cutting a check.
It all looked a lot like a clumsy attempt to run out the clock, weathering the media firestorm until interest waned and he could quietly keep his cash.
That’ll prove to be a losing strategy if Gov. Greg Abbott has anything to do with it.
Abbott wrote Farenthold a letter Wednesday to “demand” he cover all the costs of the special election called in order to determine his replacement. Noting “there is no legal recourse” to force Farenthold into returning the money, Abbott suggested the former representative “give those funds back to the counties” in his district, which “continue to be under the state disaster declaration related to the devastation of Hurricane Harvey.”
“This seat must be filled, and the counties and taxpayers in the 27th Congressional District should not again pay the price for your actions,” Abbott wrote, requesting a response from Farenthold by May 2.
Farenthold seems determined to fade back into private life without ever fulfilling his commitment, so taxpayers should welcome Abbott’s pressure. Technically, the $84,000 Farenthold used for his settlement came from an account associated with the congressional Office of Compliance, meaning taxpayers nationally, beyond Texas’ 27th Congressional District, are owed a repayment.
As of 2015, Farenthold’s net worth was estimated to be $5.8 million. Perhaps he should cover the costs of both expenses, making good on his commitment to taxpayers nationally, and also ensuring his hurricane-ravaged district is off the hook for the costs of the special election triggered by his own mistakes.
