Another higher up in Harris County gets charged with a felony related to contract fixing and County judge Lina Hidalgo attacking the D-A’s office for the indictment.
Former Harris County Public Health Director Barbie Robinson, who was fired earlier this year amidst allegations of corruption, has now been charged with felony misuse of official information. She's accused of trying to help IBM secure a county contract back in 20-21 by sharing inside information and contacts.
In a statement released by Hidalgo regarding the Robinson prosecution, The Harris County Judge writes:
“Kim Ogg’s attack on Barbie Robinson is the same thing my former staff members were falsely accused of by her. Nothing to show for it 3 years later, because, as we’ve said, they did absolutely nothing wrong and her accusations are rife with falsehoods. She’s been voted out, but Kim Ogg continues her pattern of weaponizing her office against those who disagree with her, like Director Robinson, who led a successful program DA Ogg did not like. Only the prosecution (not the defense) presents to Harris County Grand Juries, so it is easy for her to obtain these false indictments.”
This “weaponization” Hidalgo refers to is related to the indictment of three of her senior staffers on bid rigging charges, the same type of crime Robinson is now accused of.
Robinson previously had a relationship with IBM when she held a similar public position in Sonoma County, California.