Felony Charge Filed Against Former Harris County Health Director

The former executive director of Harris County Public Health, Barbie Robinson, is facing a felony charge concerning her alleged involvement in a multimillion-dollar bid-rigging scheme, according to the district attorney’s office. This charge comes after Robinson was dismissed from her position in August amid scrutiny over her conduct while leading the department.

Court documents reveal that Robinson is accused of misuse of official information. The allegations suggest that she shared non-public information with employees of IBM in 2021 while she was employed by both Sonoma County, California, and Harris County, Texas. The felony charge, filed over two months ago, is said to be part of an unrelated investigation into her activities.

Robinson’s termination followed concerns raised regarding her department’s hiring of a California-based for-profit company, with which she reportedly had connections. The company secured a $6 million contract with Harris County, leading to further investigations into potential improprieties.

The controversy surrounding Robinson’s case was highlighted during a news conference on Tuesday by Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg. Ogg stressed that the charges against Robinson were substantiated by evidence, dismissing criticisms from county leaders as irrelevant to the legal proceedings.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo criticized Ogg’s handling of the case, suggesting that the accusations against Robinson mirrored previous unfounded allegations directed at her own staff by the district attorney. «Kim Ogg’s attack on Barbie Robinson is the same thing my former staff members were falsely accused of by her,» Hidalgo stated, emphasizing the lack of consequences from previous accusations.

In response, Ogg reiterated the impartiality of the legal process, asserting that political opinions hold no weight in criminal proceedings. «We’re not in high school, and our cases aren’t based on opinions,» Ogg stated. «They are based on evidence. The evidence reflects actions taken by government officials which violate the law.»