Former executive director of Harris County Public Health, Barbie Robinson, is now facing severe consequences as she has been charged with multiple felony charges. These charges involve allegedly directing a staggering $40 million of taxpayer funds towards two companies. The Harris County District Attorney, Kim Ogg, has revealed that Robinson is facing two first-degree felonies as well as a state jail felony for her actions. This situation highlights the importance of transparency and accountability when it comes to the allocation of public funds.
Robinson, who joined Harris County in 2021 after working in Sonoma County, California, is facing serious charges. She is accused of fraudulently obtaining and executing documents worth $300,000 or more, which is considered a first-degree felony under Texas Penal Code Section 32.46. If found guilty, she could be sentenced to up to 99 years or even life in prison. Apart from this, she is also facing charges of tampering with a governmental record, which is a state jail felony carrying a maximum penalty of two years. Additionally, she has been charged with the misuse of official information, a third-degree felony, in a case filed last month.
Robinson is facing charges related to her alleged involvement in a bid-rigging scheme. It is believed that she collaborated with IBM prior to the bidding process, providing them with an unfair advantage. Furthermore, despite the presence of other vendors who submitted considerably lower bids, Robinson, who was a member of the committee responsible for awarding the contract, chose to award it to IBM. Shockingly, it has been discovered that she utilized funds from the American Rescue Plan, which were meant for COVID-19 recovery, to make payments to IBM.
Robinson played a key role in securing an $8 million contract for the Holistic Assistance Response Teams (HART) program with DEMA Consulting & Management, a small California-based firm. During the process, it was reported that the owner of DEMA approached Robinson and her husband with job offers in California.
Harris County Public Health terminated her employment on August 30. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office and the Texas Rangers announced the new charges on November 15, more than a month after the initial charge. This highlights the ongoing investigation into the matter.
“Playing favorites, a public official misused her authority,” said Assistant District Attorney Michael Eber, who is handling the case. “In the state of Texas, the procurement process is designed to be fair for all parties involved, including the taxpayers.”
