During a debate for California’s recall election, one of the Republican challengers was served a subpoena in the middle of the event. A private investigator served GOP contender John Cox during the debate.

The Hill reports:

The documents apparently stem from a ruling made by San Diego Superior Court Judge Daniel Link earlier this year for Cox’s campaign to pay a GOP political firm around $55,000 for political ads and another $43,000 for attorney’s costs. These fees were racked up during Cox’s unsuccessful 2018 gubernatorial campaign.

The Times reports that Cox was dismissive of the incident, continuing with his opening remarks and referring to it as “a garbage thing.”

“It’s one creditor who didn’t get paid from the 2018 campaign because he didn’t deserve to be,” he said.

Jim Innocenzi, founder of the Virginia-based firm claiming unpaid fees, told the Times that he had paid the California cast and crew out of his own pocket and had never been reimbursed. Link had ruled that Cox, a multimillionaire, should pay the outstanding balance.

Cox is among the top GOP contenders challenging Democrat Gavin Newsom. However, conservative talk show host Larry Elder, who did not attend the debate, is steal leading all Republicans in the polls.