Online Convention will Continue with Ultimate Failsafe for National Delegates & Presidential Electors
HOUSTON, TX – The Republican Party of Texas (RPT) won in federal court today over a week-long battle with the City of Houston, requiring the City and Houston First Corporation to honor its contract to host the RPT State Convention. Judge Lynn Hughes, of the Southern District of Texas, ruled that the George R. Brown Convention Center must be available to RPT, if requested, this weekend. Both parties would have to act reasonably and work together to ensure that the RPT could perform its duties concerning the nation’s national elections this November.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner shut down the RPT’s scheduled in-person Convention last week, just ahead of the start of it’s in-person Convention, requiring the RPT’s immediate lawsuit. After the attempted mandamus was lost at the Texas Supreme Court this past Monday, the RPT’s SREC took immediate action to move to an online convention. Unfortunate technological delays prevented the party’s progress yesterday in opening its Convention, and gave impetus to join with the existing federal suit filed by Dr. Steve Hotze when invited at the final hour.
“After the technical issues we experienced at RPT yesterday, immediate redundancy became a key objective. I was invited to join this lawsuit and took the opportunity to provide a last-resort method in-person if we needed it to secure our national election obligations,” said RPT Chairman James Dickey. “The RPT is on track to hold its convention online with its approved plan from the State Republican Executive Committee. Our online convention provides the greatest opportunity for as many delegates who want to participate in the Convention as possible. Delegate rights and delegate empowerment are critical to us and define the Republican grassroots. We learned a hard lesson yesterday and with this win today, if for any reason there is an issue tomorrow, we know that we have a single location where, with the necessary SREC authorizations, we could hold Congressional District Caucuses to elect our National Delegates and Alternates and Presidential Electors for President Donald J. Trump.”
Dickey continued, “We applaud Judge Hughes for affirming the position the RPT took in our original lawsuit, making clear that Mayor Turner cannot use pretext to infringe our right to in-person Convention. “I hope this ruling sets a precedent for other state and local Republican parties and organizations who come against a bully Democrat mayor’s malicious shutdown.
The second bus operator last worked July 14 and in the two weeks prior, drove the following routes:
One of the Yellow Cab contract drivers last provided services for METRO on July 9 and in the two weeks prior, drove the following route:
The other Yellow Cab contract driver also last provided services for METRO on July 9 and in the two weeks prior drove the following route:
*The charts above reflect the days the operators were on duty two weeks prior to their last days on the job.
The second bus operator last worked July 7 and in the two weeks prior, drove the following routes:
The third bus operator last worked July 2 and in the two weeks prior, drove the following routes:
The fourth bus operator last worked July 8 and in the two weeks prior, drove the following routes:
The fifth bus operator last worked July 11 and in the two weeks prior, drove the following routes:
A First Transit contract bus operator last provided services for METRO July 14 and in the two weeks prior, drove the following routes:
Another First Transit contract bus operator last provided services for METRO July 13 and in the two weeks prior, drove the following routes:
*The charts above reflect the days the operators were on duty two weeks prior to their last days on the job.One First Transit contract driver for METROLift provided services June 23, 18-15 and 12-11. The other First Transit contract driver for METROLift provided services July 2 and 1 and June 30, 26- 23 and 19.One of the Yellow Cab contract drivers provided services for METROLift July 9, 8, 7, 6, 2 and June 29. The other Yellow Cab contract driver provided services for METROLift July 4, 2,1 and June 30- 27 .METROLift is an on-demand service and does not operate specific routes.The fare inspector’s last day on the job was July 10. That employee worked at rail stations along the Red Line.
One mechanic last worked July 2 and the other mechanic last worked on June 29. The METROLift reservations operator last worked June 30, and the customer service representative has worked from home since March 22. None of them had contact with the public.Anyone who comes in contact with an individual who tests positive should monitor themselves for possible symptoms, contact your health care provider as soon as you develop any symptoms, and self-isolate to avoid possibly exposing others, including refraining from using public transportation.METRO is working with public health officials so they can identify and notify anyone who traveled the routes driven by the bus operators during those time frames as well as anyone else who may have been impacted by the latest positive cases.Since mid-March, METRO has sought to minimize the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission by operators or passengers by encouraging social distancing. On March 23, the agency temporarily suspended collecting fares to avoid unnecessary contacts. Shortly thereafter, orange mesh fencing was installed across the aisles of every local bus to assure appropriate distancing between operators and passengers.More safety upgrades are also being added to buses, trains and METROLift vehicles. Operators and riders will now have access to hand sanitizer while on board and protective shields around drivers’ seats will provide another layer of separation between operators and the public. Operators and riders are required to wear a face covering while on the system.We appreciate and greatly value our riders. We have taken many actions, including working with the community at large, to “flatten the curve” of COVID-19. To prevent or minimize its transmission on the transit system, METRO asks all riders to use the system only for essential trips at this time, practice social distancing when you do ride transit (i.e., stand or sit at least 6 feet apart, as recommended by the 
The two testing sites are Fallbrook Church, 12,512 Walters Road, which opened Thursday and Higher Dimension Church 9800 Club Creek Drive, which will open on Friday.
