Prices towards a high-ranking Harris County, Texas, official tied to 2 huge bid-rigging case have been dropped by the newly sworn-in District Legal professional.
Former Harris County District Legal professional Kim Ogg (D) accused the brand new DA, Sean Teare (D), of a “cover-up” after one other bid-rigging case was dropped.
Final week, the Harris County DA’s Workplace dropped expenses towards former Harris County Public Well being Director Barbie Robinson.
“The fees have been tied to an alleged $40 million effort to steer taxpayer cash to 2 completely different firms, together with IBM,” ABC 13 reported.
“After an exhaustive evaluation of the proof concluded by profession prosecutors, the HCDAO has decided that the State can’t show any of the charged offenses past an inexpensive doubt and that pursuing this case will not be within the pursuits of justice,” the DA’s workplace stated.
In March, it was reported that Harris County Decide Lina Hidalgo and her former staffers can be reimbursed almost $900,000 in authorized charges associated to bid-rigging expenses.
Final yr, then-Harris County District Legal professional Kim Ogg transferred the case to Ken Paxton’s workplace so it didn’t ‘fall by the cracks’ when she left workplace this yr.
Nevertheless, County Commissioners voted 3-1 to reimburse Hidalgo and her three former staffers $877,402 for authorized charges associated to the case after a separate prosecutor dropped the fees.
Hidalgo’s workplace was embroiled in a bid-rigging scandal.
Lina Hidalgo’s prime three staffers have been indicted in April 2022 after prosecutors expanded the investigation into an $11 million ‘vaccine outreach contract’ awarded to one of many choose’s political cronies.
Whereas Hidalgo was threatening to jail and high quality folks for violating her Covid guidelines, she was secretly attempting to award one in every of her political cronies, Felicity Pereyra, who based Elevate Methods, an $11 million ‘vaccine outreach’ contract.
Hidalgo in the end panicked and canceled the $11 million vaccine contract after questions have been raised that it was with a one-person agency with no expertise.
Hidalgo’s Chief of Employees Alex Triantaphyllis and Coverage Director Wallis Nader together with co-defendant Aaron Dunn have been charged with misuse of official info and tampering with authorities paperwork in reference to the canceled vaccine outreach contract.
On Friday, Lina Hidalgo attacked Kim Ogg and accused the previous DA of focusing on Director Robinson over the colour of her pores and skin.
“As soon as once more, false accusations towards a Harris County public servant are discovered to have been baseless. The unfair prosecution and firing of Director Robinson is a part of a sample we’ve seen too typically: public servants who problem the established order—particularly folks of coloration— being focused with political prosecutions and with public haranguing by elected leaders, who’re all too fast to leap to conclusions in relation to accusations towards a choose few. I’m glad to see this chapter closed, however Director Robinson ought to by no means have been fired, the taxpayers ought to by no means have needed to pay for this political prosecution, and this sample must cease,” Lina Hidalgo stated in an announcement on Fb.
Kim Ogg lashed out on the DA’s resolution to drop the fees towards Barbie Robinson.
“I believe what we’re seeing is actual quid professional quo standing,” Kim Ogg advised ABC13 on Friday. “It’s an absolute cover-up.”
“It is a cover-up by Sean Teare in return for assist he acquired from sure public officers who may very well be implicated in these investigations,” Ogg stated.
Kim Ogg known as for a federal investigation in a separate interview with Fox 26.
“What I’m involved about is destruction of the proof,” Ogg stated in an interview with FOX 26 reporter Greg Groogan obtained by The Texan. “Harris County’s personal insurance policies permit for destruction of electronic mail communications.”
“That’s why I’m calling on the federal authorities, the FBI, and the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace to analyze,” Ogg stated.
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