AUSTIN, Texas — A federal judge has ordered Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to testify in a high-profile abortion case, a week after the Republican reportedly fled his McKinney home to avoid being served with a subpoena.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman wrote that Paxton needs to clarify how his office will enforce the state’s sweeping new abortion ban that carries possible penalties of prison time and six-figure fines.
In late August, Texas abortion funds filed a lawsuit seeking protections to resume paying for people’s flights, hotels and other expenses to travel out of state for the procedure. The eight funds paused the work after the reversal of Roe vs. Wade, which triggered a near total abortion ban in Texas and threats of criminal prosecution from Paxton and other elected leaders.
