(Headline USA) A federal appeals court has overruled a judge’s decision allowing the Texas Republican Party to hold an in-person convention in Houston.
In an order issued Saturday, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stayed Friday’s ruling that would have permitted the Republican Party of Texas to host an in-person convention at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
It came one day after Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner vowed to appeal the case.
Judge Lynn Hughes, of the Southern District of Texas, had ruled Friday that the city of Houston violated the GOP’s constitutional rights by canceling the event.
Turner, a Democrat, had directed convention center operators earlier this month to cancel the Texas GOP’s contract to hold an in-person convention this weekend.
The mayor said he believed the three-day event could not be held safely.
The party sued, alleging breach of contract, but it lost an appeal at the Texas Supreme Court on Monday.
The in-person convention was initially set to run from Thursday to Saturday.
But James Dickey, chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, said Friday the party was still on-track to try a virtual gathering this weekend.
Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press.
