Republicans To Defy Judge’s Order & Continue With Activities To Replace DeLay

Quorum Report is reporting that the Republican Party of Texas and its county parties in CD-22 are going ahead with their plans to replace Tom DeLay on the ballot, assuming they will win on appeal before the 5th Circuit:

Jared Woodfill, chairman of the Harris County Republican Party, said that party leaders in the district were operating under the assumption that their side would win on appeal. He argued that Democrats would be most hurt if the dispute carries on much longer in the courts. “What we’re finding is we continue to receive calls from people angry that they’re being limited in their choice,” he said.

Party representatives from two counties, Harris County and Fort Bend County, have already selected electors for a meeting that would have selected a ballot replacement for DeLay. Woodfill said he hoped that representatives from Brazoria and Galveston Counties would go ahead with their process to have electors in place. They were scheduled to meet Thursday night, he said.

Woodfill argued that Sparks’ ruling only affected Benkiser and Secretary of State Roger Williams. Party leaders at the county level were free to select electors, he said. In a worst case scenario were Republicans lose on appeal, the worse that would have happened is that “it will all have been for naught,” he said.

The merits of Woodfill’s argument are open to question. Sparks’ ruling only singled out Benkiser and Williams but he wrote that his order extended to the defendant “and anyone acting in concert with her, on her behalf, or at her direction.”

I disagree with QR’s analysis on this one. Woodfill’s argument has no merits. It is crystal clear that Sparks’ injunction enjoined the county parties as well. In fact, when I read it, the thought came to my mind that Sparks had written it to apply to the county parties without having to simply list all four county parties and their chairs.

This is clearly an example of callus, wanton disregard for the orders of a Federal Judge by Republicans in CD-22.

Just because they plan to appeal (unless a stay of some sort is granted lifting the injunction by the Court in New Orleans) does not mean they have the right to continue with their business because they plan to appeal.

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