Not, I Think, Today, Thank You!

Updates here: #SCOTX dismisses appeal by @TexasGOP seeking to host its in-person convention this week in Houston https://t.co/9FY0EVNt2N

— Cassi Pollock (@cassi_pollock) July 13, 2020

In a 7-1 ruling, the all-Republican court wrote that, while it "is unquestionably true" that the party has constitutional rights to hold a convention, "those rights do not allow it to simply commandeer use of the Center." Justice Jeff Boyd did not participate in the decision, while Justice John Devine filed a dissenting opinion.

It's the knife in the back that hurts the most:

Monday's ruling came after the Texas attorney general's office, asked to weigh in on the issue by the high court, filed a brief that argued justices should deny the party and Hotze's petitions.

"Despite their troubling factual allegations, the petitions do not properly invoke this Court's mandamus authority, and they should be denied on that narrow basis," Solicitor General Kyle Hawkins wrote. 

Well, maybe forum-shopping will save us!

Party Chair James Dickey, responding to Monday's court ruling, said that the party is now waiting to see how the district court hearing that began Monday morning plays out.

"Regardless, we will have our Convention on time as scheduled," Dickey said in a statement, adding that he was already in Houston where preliminary convention business was underway. "There will be a call for a meeting of the State Republican Executive Committee to finalize our path forward when we have rulings on both of our cases."

.@TexasGOP Chair @jamesdickey on this AM's #SCOTX ruling — Party is waiting on a Harris Co. district court ruling re: whether Houston needs to honor convention contract.

The SREC, Dickey says, will meet "to finalize our path forward when we have rulings on both of our cases." pic.twitter.com/XpC1aMU7iY

— Cassi Pollock (@cassi_pollock) July 13, 2020

You know, Houston isn't keeping them from voting on their delegates, or any other party matters.  They're just keeping them from doing it in Houston during a pandemic when the whole city should be shut down, and would be:  if not for the GOP governor,  who is being censured by party officials across the state. 

They really are their own worst enemies.  It's like they've locked themselves in the round room, and keep looking for the corner to sit in.