Texas Republican Convention in Fort Worth in 2014. Bob Daemmrich for The Texas TribuneThe Republican Party of Texas is suing Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and others involved with the canceling of the party's in-person convention, which was scheduled to happen next week. "Mayor Turner may not treat the [Republican Party of Texas] convention differently from that of the recent public protests that the Mayor supported," the petition reads. The party's biennial convention was expected to draw roughly 6,000 people to a city that is a hotspot for the coronavirus. A spokesperson for Turner told the Houston Chronicle that the mayor would address the lawsuit at a previously-scheduled 3 p.m. news conference.

HOUSTON, Texas The Republican Party of Texas is suing the City of Houston, Mayor Sylvester Turner, and the Houston First Corporation after officials canceled the partys convention due to the coronavirus pandemic. The lawsuit was filed Thursday morning, according to officials, and is claiming the cancellation of the event is a breach of contract. The three-day event was set to take place July 16 - July 18 at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Mayor Turner canceled the convention because he wanted to, not due to any act of God - only due to his desire to do so and to hold the Republican Party of Texas to a different standard than other entities. Further, Mayor Turners mandate far exceeded the requirements in the Governors Executive Order, the Republican Party of Texas said in a release.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on Wednesday directed city staff to find a legal way to cancel the Republican Party of Texas' in-person convention in the city next week. Pu Ying Huang for The Texas TribuneAs the Republican Party of Texas moves forward with plans for an in-person convention during a surge of coronavirus cases, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said he has directed his administration to explore ways to cancel the event. During a virtual City Council meeting Wednesday, Turner said he has asked the city's legal department to work with the Houston First Corporation, which operates the George R. Brown Convention Center, to review the contract with the state party. "Where there are provisions that would allow us to cancel this convention we will exercise those provisions," Turner said. "And the plan is to exercise those provisions to cancel this agreement, this contract, today to not go forward with this convention."