Photo: Alex Bierens de Haan / Getty Images News / Getty Images
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo's legal hot water reportedly has gotten even hotter.
According to 'The Texan," and citing information obtained from Constable Mark Herman's (Pct. 4) office, a criminal complaint filed against Hidalgo was referred to the Texas Rangers for investigation.
The complaint stems from a press conference Hidalgo held earlier this month, after news broke that the Texas Rangers would be executing search warrants in relation to an $11 million COVID-19 vaccine outreach contract the county awarded to a highly connected Democratic strategist in 2021. Hidalgo’s comments were made on county property and livestreamed on the Office of the County Judge’s official social media accounts.
Under Texas Election Code using an elected office to engage in political advertising is a Class A misdemeanor, and under the Penal Code misuse of government property, services, or personnel constitutes an Abuse of Official Capacity, which could be classified as a misdemeanor or state jail felony depending on the value of the thing misused.
Three of Hidalgo’s former staffers were indicted on felony charges in relation to the COVID-19 vaccine outreach contract last year, but the county judge is now under scrutiny for her alleged participation in the bid-rigging scheme that sidelined the University of Texas Health Science Center in favor of Elevate Strategies — a one-woman firm owned by Felicity Pereyra.
The report also says that Hidalgo's office has not commented on the new Texas Rangers investigation. You can watch the press conference at the center of this new complaint below.