A spokesman for the group that repealed Houston's Equal Rights Ordinance is now calling on the Texas GOP to move its 2016 party convention out of Dallas over the City Council's decision this week to strengthen transgender protections.
As we've reported, the Dallas City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to clarify transgender protections that have been in place since 2002. However, opponents are somehow alleging that Dallas passed a new “bathroom ordinance,” as they seek to capitalize on their momentum from Houston by attempting to repeal Dallas' 13-year-old nondiscrimination ordinance.
Jared Woodfill, former chair of the Harris County GOP and spokesman for the anti-HERO Campaign for Houston, wrote in an email Thursday:
“Throughout the Houston campaign, the opposition argued that rejection of the Bathroom Ordinance would result in, among other things, conventions leaving Houston. We as a Republican Party have an opportunity to send a loud and clear message to the radical left by moving our 2016 Republican Party of Texas Convention from Dallas to another city. We should not reward Dallas with our business when its leaders brazenly reject the principles embodied in our 2014 Republican Party of Texas Platform. The Dallas Mayor and City Council sent us a clear message on Tuesday – they do not respect our values. It is now time for us to send a clear message and move the 2016 Convention from Dallas to another city.”
Needless to say, many Dallas LGBT advocates would probably be thrilled to see the GOP move the convention out of the city, which would only cement the party's reputation for bigotry. The 2014 Texas GOP platform endorses “ex-gay” therapy and states:
“Homosexuality is a chosen behavior that is contrary to the fundamental unchanging truths that have been ordained by God in the Bible, recognized by our nation's founders, and shared by the majority of Texans.”
As we mentioned the other day, in a blatant display of hypocrisy, Woodfill is currently representing a man who's being sued for photographing women in a bathroom at a party. Woodfill also reportedly plans to run for state party chairman at the 2016 convention, a post he unsuccessfully sought last year. And that could help explain why he wants the convention moved to his hometown (even though he also failed to win re-election there in 2014):
“Houston would be an excellent choice for the RPT State Convention considering the voters' 61-39 vote on November 3rd rejecting men in women's bathrooms,” Woodfill wrote. “It would also counter the opposition's argument that the Bathroom Ordinances defeat will hurt the Houston economy. Please join me in encouraging the Republican Party of Texas to move the 2016 RPT Convention from Dallas.”
In related news, HERO opponents have launched a round of phone calls to voters urging them to oppose efforts to resurrect the ordinance. Mayor Annise Parker has said it's possible the council could pass a new HERO before she leaves office in January. From The Houston Chronicle:
Jared Woodfill, spokesman for opponents, said the group viewed Parker's statement as a warning that the fight is not over. This week, the group launched 300,000 calls to residents urging them to contact their council members.
“We're opposed to the ordinance, period,” Woodfill said. “I mean the people overwhelmingly rejected it and they've already spoken. The question now is do our mayor and our elected officials listen to the people?”
