HOUSTON – Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg held a news conference Tuesday afternoon following the charges the DA filed against Barbie Robinson, who was fired earlier this year as the executive director of Harris County Public Health.
Robinson was charged with felony misuse of official information. The charges were filed directly from the District Attorney’s Office.
In August, when Robinson was fired from her executive role at HCPH on Aug. 30, Ogg said it raised concerns about conflicting contracts and possibly misleading statements made by Robinson to the administrator. At the time of her firing, the DA said her office was already investigating a different company and contract at the county health department.
Ogg said the Harris County Administrator might have had knowledge about Robinson’s actions that contributed to the decision to terminate her employment, but the DA’s office did not have access to all those internal personnel records.
The County Administrator told KPRC 2′s Bryce Newberry, “Barbie Robinson’s employment with Harris County was terminated on August 30, 2024, and we have no comment on the ongoing criminal proceedings. Our focus remains on providing essential services to Harris County residents with transparency and integrity.”
Allegations against Robinson
Ogg said Robinson funneled $30 million of COVID-19 recovery funds (from the American Rescue Plan), intended for public benefit, to International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), her handpicked beneficiary, bypassing the lawful procurement process.
She said the $30 million could have been used for many things in Harris County and the public has the right to question what value they received from the Access Program implemented in the county by Robinson.
“What specific improvements were made to the situation that many of us face in COVID? How were Harris County residents actually helped? Were they helped?” Ogg questioned. “What we do know is that IBM was helped and the $30 million goes a long way and that the process that should have been followed was not, and that we will continue to look at this and other contracts issued by Harris County to let the public know that our district attorney’s office is watching.”
According to its website, ACCESS Harris County “seeks to improve the outcomes and self-sufficiency of Harris County’s most vulnerable populations.”
Since inception, May 21, 2023, ACCESS has served 5,109 people of which, 1,634 are enrolled in the following cohorts:
- Violence Prevention: 324
- Black Maternal Health: 182
- Homeless, Physical, & Behavioral Health: 272
- Re-Entry: 699
- Latino Chronic Disease: 157
Here are several takeaways and key points from Ogg’s news conference surrounding this case:
Why is this a crime?
- IBM won the contract with a nearly $30 million bid, while the second-lowest competitor bid only $2.2 million.
Robinson’s connection to IBM
- Robinson was selected to lead the county’s health department in March of 2021. She came to the Houston area from Sonoma County, California, where she was director of that county’s Department of Health Services for four years.
- The investigation revealed her prior relationship with IBM during her tenure in Sonoma County and worked to replicate their “Access Health” program in Harris County.
- She is accused of manipulating the procurement process to benefit IBM early in her Harris County tenure.
Alleged public corruption and lack of transparency
- Robinson’s alleged misconduct began with a $45,000 expenditure for a planning meeting with IBM.
- She participated in only two RFP committees during her tenure, one of which was related to this contract.
- The exact benefits of the $30 million Access Harris program remain unclear, with questions surrounding its value to taxpayers and effectiveness in improving public health services.
Misuse of Taxpayer’s money
Waste of public funds:
- The Access Harris program’s cost amounted to roughly $19,000 per individual served, but the specifics of the services provided remain vague.
Opportunity costs:
- Funds could have been used for actual health services, public safety, or mitigating damages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The competitive procurement process was undermined, preventing cost savings and better service delivery for taxpayers.
Violation of public trust:
- Ogg emphasized the importance of taxpayers’ trust in government and criticized the misuse of funds as cheating the public.
- She highlighted that public corruption erodes democracy and freedom by undermining the fair use of resources.
Ogg made it clear Tuesday that the investigation into Robinson’s action is ongoing and may uncover additional charges or information.
“There’s always additional investigations into corruption because we get complaints at all times,” Ogg said. “But I will tell you that this investigation is not finished.”
If found guilty, Robinson could face up to 2 to 10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
Ogg responds to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s remarks
After news broke that charges were filed against Robinson, Hidalgo called out Ogg in a statement.
Hidalgo rebutted the allegations against Robinson in a statement, stating the “attack” on Robinson is the same her former staff members were accused of by Ogg.
Hidalgo released the 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. Only the prosecution (not the defense) presents to Harris County Grand Juries, so it is easy for her to obtain these false indictments.”
Ogg responded in Tuesday’s news conference, saying opinions of politically elected individuals are irrelevant to the criminal process. She stated that her office’s cases are based on evidence rather than opinions. She clarified that her office used both the grand jury process for evidence collection and direct filing for the charges against Robinson, per legal procedure.
Ogg stated that the criminal justice system operates independently of political commentary or agendas, focusing solely on evidence of wrongdoing.
“We’re not in high school, and our cases aren’t based on opinions,” Ogg said. “They are based on evidence. The evidence reflects actions taken by government officials which violate the law. And so, the opinions of politically elected individuals are irrelevant to the criminal process.”