Outgoing Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced a felony misuse of public information charge against former Director of the Harris County Public Health Department Barbie Robinson.
Robinson allegedly shared non-public information with a company seeking to do business with the county.
“Money intended for COVID recovery, known as the American Rescue Plan, was money obtained from taxpayers, funneled by the federal government to Harris County and instead of it being spent, truly, for the greater good, Barbie Robinson is charged today as the former public health director with funneling approximately $30 million to a handpicked beneficiary, IBM,” said Ogg during a press conference.
According to the court records, Robinson, who was fired in August, aided IBM, a company she had a prior relationship with from her work in Sonoma County, California, in their solicitation of a contract with Harris County.
“What we can tell you is that upon Ms. Robinson’s appointment to public health, she immediately began drawing on a business relationship with IBM, a company she had been involved with in Sonoma Valley, California… Robinson appears to have selected IBM early,” Ogg said. Robinson allegedly shared information with IBM prior to the issuance of the request for proposal for services, which Ogg says gave them a significant advantage over their competitors. The nearest bid was just over $2 million higher.
The program was a continuum of services for those who had been treated by Harris County in some capacity, such as the by the county jail or one of the county’s hospitals. Their information would be compiled in a database with a software support program designed by IBM. “It’s unclear what is done with this information, who all has access to it,” said Ogg. They ultimately only provided services to 1,200 people for $30 million, according to the DA.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, who was the lone voice in opposition to an audit of the public health department after Robinson’s firing, issued the following statement.
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.
The documents obtained by investigators show emails between IBM employees, Robinson, and others. Documents also show that IBM was aware of the scope of the project before it was made public, putting them a step ahead of any potential competitors.
The allegations are similar to those of Hidalgo’s former staff members who were each indicted on felony charges of misuse of official information and tampering with records for their alleged involvement in a scheme to steer an $11 million COVID outreach contract to a preferred vendor.
Robinson is charged with a third-degree felony which, if she is convicted, can be penalized by two to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
No ads. No paywalls. No government grants. No corporate masters.
Just real news for real Texans.
Support Texas Scorecard to keep it that way!
