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| Houston Mayor Cancels Texas G.O.P. Convention, Calling It ‘Public Health Risk’ | Houston Mayor Cancels Texas G.O.P. Convention, Calling It ‘Public Health Risk’ |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| HOUSTON — Local outcry had grown for weeks over plans by the Texas Republican Party to hold its convention in Houston in the middle of one of the nation’s worst coronavirus outbreaks. | HOUSTON — Local outcry had grown for weeks over plans by the Texas Republican Party to hold its convention in Houston in the middle of one of the nation’s worst coronavirus outbreaks. |
| Sponsors, including the Texas Medical Association, dropped out. Gov. Greg Abbott said he would appear only by video. The city’s top public health official called it a “clear and present danger.” | Sponsors, including the Texas Medical Association, dropped out. Gov. Greg Abbott said he would appear only by video. The city’s top public health official called it a “clear and present danger.” |
| Yet party activists held firm. | Yet party activists held firm. |
| Then on Wednesday, Mayor Sylvester Turner of Houston put an end to the standoff, effectively canceling the gathering a week before it was scheduled by pulling out of a contract to host the event in a city-run convention center. | Then on Wednesday, Mayor Sylvester Turner of Houston put an end to the standoff, effectively canceling the gathering a week before it was scheduled by pulling out of a contract to host the event in a city-run convention center. |
| The decision by a Democratic mayor to cancel the state’s largest gathering of Republicans set the state up for rancorous finger pointing and potential legal action. Even before the announcement, Republican Party officials suggested that Mr. Turner did not have the authority to do so. | The decision by a Democratic mayor to cancel the state’s largest gathering of Republicans set the state up for rancorous finger pointing and potential legal action. Even before the announcement, Republican Party officials suggested that Mr. Turner did not have the authority to do so. |
| It also focused renewed attention on the Republican National Convention, where President Trump is expected to be nominated to run for a second term at an in-person convention in Jacksonville, Fla., next month. | It also focused renewed attention on the Republican National Convention, where President Trump is expected to be nominated to run for a second term at an in-person convention in Jacksonville, Fla., next month. |
| Mr. Trump on Tuesday night said that while the event would go on in Florida, which like Texas has seen a sharp rise in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, his campaign would be “flexible” about the details. | Mr. Trump on Tuesday night said that while the event would go on in Florida, which like Texas has seen a sharp rise in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, his campaign would be “flexible” about the details. |
| “It really depends on the timing. Look, we’re very flexible, we could do a lot of things, but we’re very flexible,” he said in an interview with Greta Van Susteren on her show “Full Court Press.” | “It really depends on the timing. Look, we’re very flexible, we could do a lot of things, but we’re very flexible,” he said in an interview with Greta Van Susteren on her show “Full Court Press.” |
| The Texas party convention would have rivaled the national convention in size, according to organizers, who said they expected some 6,000 delegates to attend despite the consistently rising number of infections in Houston. The city neared 40,000 total cases as of Wednesday, with about 600 people currently hospitalized in intensive care. More than 400 have died. | The Texas party convention would have rivaled the national convention in size, according to organizers, who said they expected some 6,000 delegates to attend despite the consistently rising number of infections in Houston. The city neared 40,000 total cases as of Wednesday, with about 600 people currently hospitalized in intensive care. More than 400 have died. |
| Mr. Turner said he made the decision to cancel the event after hoping and expecting that Republican officials would do so voluntarily. He said he feared for the safety not only of the conventiongoers from all over the state but of those who would be working around them — speaking not only as mayor, but also as the son of a hotel maid. | Mr. Turner said he made the decision to cancel the event after hoping and expecting that Republican officials would do so voluntarily. He said he feared for the safety not only of the conventiongoers from all over the state but of those who would be working around them — speaking not only as mayor, but also as the son of a hotel maid. |
| A convention, he said, is different from the recent street protests that have brought thousands of people together in the city. “Nobody is making and serving them dinner. Nobody is making up their beds and cleaning their rooms,” he said of those who attended protests. “When you go marching and protesting, you are assuming that responsibility yourself. But when you are in an indoor event, like a conference, it requires ancillary support, so you are involuntarily including other people in order to facilitate that event.” | A convention, he said, is different from the recent street protests that have brought thousands of people together in the city. “Nobody is making and serving them dinner. Nobody is making up their beds and cleaning their rooms,” he said of those who attended protests. “When you go marching and protesting, you are assuming that responsibility yourself. But when you are in an indoor event, like a conference, it requires ancillary support, so you are involuntarily including other people in order to facilitate that event.” |
| Last week, the state party’s executive board voted to go ahead with the event rather than hold it virtually, as the state’s Democratic Party planned to do. | Last week, the state party’s executive board voted to go ahead with the event rather than hold it virtually, as the state’s Democratic Party planned to do. |
| Their decision, in a vote of 40 to 20, came hours after the governor ordered all Texans to wear masks, with few exceptions, when in public. Some older Republicans had expressed fears of being exposed to the virus at the convention but others insisted that forging ahead with the Houston meeting reaffirmed the party’s embrace of courage and individual freedoms. | Their decision, in a vote of 40 to 20, came hours after the governor ordered all Texans to wear masks, with few exceptions, when in public. Some older Republicans had expressed fears of being exposed to the virus at the convention but others insisted that forging ahead with the Houston meeting reaffirmed the party’s embrace of courage and individual freedoms. |
| James Dickey, the chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, said the party was looking into legal action. “We made every effort to conduct our convention in a safe manner,” he said in a statement, accusing Mr. Turner of waiting to cancel the event until days before it started “to inflict the greatest disruption.” | James Dickey, the chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, said the party was looking into legal action. “We made every effort to conduct our convention in a safe manner,” he said in a statement, accusing Mr. Turner of waiting to cancel the event until days before it started “to inflict the greatest disruption.” |
| At the same time, many of the elected officials who were scheduled to appear at the event, in the George R. Brown Convention Center, had already said that they would speak by video instead. That included Governor Abbott and the lieutenant governor, Dan Patrick, a favorite of conservative party members. | At the same time, many of the elected officials who were scheduled to appear at the event, in the George R. Brown Convention Center, had already said that they would speak by video instead. That included Governor Abbott and the lieutenant governor, Dan Patrick, a favorite of conservative party members. |
| “All the elected officials are switching from a live, in-person speech to videos,” Kyle Whatley, the party’s executive director, said during a town hall livestreamed on Tuesday night and reported by The Texas Tribune. | “All the elected officials are switching from a live, in-person speech to videos,” Kyle Whatley, the party’s executive director, said during a town hall livestreamed on Tuesday night and reported by The Texas Tribune. |
| A spokesman for Mr. Abbott did not immediately reply to a request for comment. | A spokesman for Mr. Abbott did not immediately reply to a request for comment. |
| State Democrats were happy to cheer Mr. Turner’s move on the convention. “Republicans are lucky that Democratic and city leaders were willing to do the right thing,” the party’s chairman, Gilberto Hinojosa, said in a statement. | State Democrats were happy to cheer Mr. Turner’s move on the convention. “Republicans are lucky that Democratic and city leaders were willing to do the right thing,” the party’s chairman, Gilberto Hinojosa, said in a statement. |
| Updated August 4, 2020 | |
| Some of those who had been planning to attend the event expressed disappointment and worried that a virtual convention would not allow for the same sort of grass-roots participation by the thousands of delegates. | Some of those who had been planning to attend the event expressed disappointment and worried that a virtual convention would not allow for the same sort of grass-roots participation by the thousands of delegates. |
| “I am dismayed because an in-person convention is always better,” said Gail Stanart, a member of the party’s executive committee from Houston. Like several others interviewed, she said she did not fear attending the large gathering. | “I am dismayed because an in-person convention is always better,” said Gail Stanart, a member of the party’s executive committee from Houston. Like several others interviewed, she said she did not fear attending the large gathering. |
| J.T. Edwards of Galveston, another state G.O.P. committee member, did have concerns about himself or others potentially being exposed to the virus, but said that he had been excited about the prospect of attending because of the event’s “pageantry and spirit.” | J.T. Edwards of Galveston, another state G.O.P. committee member, did have concerns about himself or others potentially being exposed to the virus, but said that he had been excited about the prospect of attending because of the event’s “pageantry and spirit.” |
| The cancellation appeared to exacerbate tensions that were already brewing inside the party over the state’s response to the pandemic, particularly on the part of Mr. Abbott. Some in the party were not happy with the governor’s order mandating masks last week, nor his order closing bars the week before. | The cancellation appeared to exacerbate tensions that were already brewing inside the party over the state’s response to the pandemic, particularly on the part of Mr. Abbott. Some in the party were not happy with the governor’s order mandating masks last week, nor his order closing bars the week before. |
| “I don’t feel that the government should mandate that I wear a mask or do A, B or C,” said Sam Bryant, a member of the party’s executive committee from Waxahachie, south of Dallas. “Abbott by far is one of the worst perpetuators of this,” he said. The governor may not have been well received at the convention, he added. “I think he would have gotten booed off the stage.” | “I don’t feel that the government should mandate that I wear a mask or do A, B or C,” said Sam Bryant, a member of the party’s executive committee from Waxahachie, south of Dallas. “Abbott by far is one of the worst perpetuators of this,” he said. The governor may not have been well received at the convention, he added. “I think he would have gotten booed off the stage.” |
| Mr. Turner, speaking through a mask at a news conference, said Houston would welcome conventions in the future, when the city was once again a safe place to visit. The economic effect of the cancellation was not immediately clear. The event had been scheduled to begin July 16 and last for three days. | Mr. Turner, speaking through a mask at a news conference, said Houston would welcome conventions in the future, when the city was once again a safe place to visit. The economic effect of the cancellation was not immediately clear. The event had been scheduled to begin July 16 and last for three days. |
| “These are some very serious times,” Mr. Turner said. “The public health concerns outweighed everything else.” | “These are some very serious times,” Mr. Turner said. “The public health concerns outweighed everything else.” |
| The city had the ability to cancel the party’s convention because Houston First Corporation, the city’s convention arm, held the contract with the state Republican Party. On Wednesday, the leaders of the corporation sent a letter to party officials informing them of the cancellation and citing the “force majeure” clause of the contract that allowed for cancellation in the event of unforeseeable circumstances. | The city had the ability to cancel the party’s convention because Houston First Corporation, the city’s convention arm, held the contract with the state Republican Party. On Wednesday, the leaders of the corporation sent a letter to party officials informing them of the cancellation and citing the “force majeure” clause of the contract that allowed for cancellation in the event of unforeseeable circumstances. |
| “The term ‘force majeure’ is defined to include epidemics in the City of Houston,” the letter said. | “The term ‘force majeure’ is defined to include epidemics in the City of Houston,” the letter said. |
| Shortly after the announcement, the top executive in Montgomery County, north of Houston, invited the party to hold its convention there. “If you can make the logistics work,” said the executive, Mark J. Keough, a Republican, in a Facebook video, “Montgomery County is open for business.” | Shortly after the announcement, the top executive in Montgomery County, north of Houston, invited the party to hold its convention there. “If you can make the logistics work,” said the executive, Mark J. Keough, a Republican, in a Facebook video, “Montgomery County is open for business.” |
| David Montgomery contributed reporting from Austin, Texas, and Annie Karni from Washington. | David Montgomery contributed reporting from Austin, Texas, and Annie Karni from Washington. |