3 senior staffers of Judge Lina Hidalgo indicted in Harris County vaccine contract investigation

HOUSTON — Felony indictments have been filed towards three of Harris County Decide Lina Hidalgo’s senior staffers in connection to the investigation into an $11 million COVID vaccine outreach contract.

The staffers have been recognized as Aaron Dunn, Wallis Nader and Alex Triantaphyllis, in response to court docket information. 

The fees listed are misuse of official info and tampering with information.

An $11 million COVID vaccine outreach contract that was awarded to Elevate Methods in June 2021 got here below scrutiny lately after it was found some staffers of Decide Lina Hidalgo’s Workplace helped the seller receive inside details about the contract weeks earlier than a request for proposal was open to the general public and labored to make sure one other firm didn’t win the contract, in response to a search warrant.

Newly launched court docket paperwork make clear investigation of $11 million Harris County vaccine contract

The staffers reportedly started speaking with Elevate Methods CEO Felicity Pereyra about vaccine group outreach in January 2021, a month earlier than a request for proposal on the topic grew to become public, in response to the search warrant.

4 corporations finally utilized for the undertaking after the request for proposal grew to become public in February. The contract awarded to Elevate Methods was initially authorized by Harris County Commissioners Courtroom in June 2021.

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However later that contract was terminated in September 2021 after Elevate Methods, an alleged one-person agency, got here below scrutiny for its inexperience within the area of public well being outreach, and for alleged political ties to native Democratic get together officers. 

It was chosen over the UT Well being Service Heart, regardless of UTHSC providing a decrease bid and score increased on evaluations, in response to county information.

This story will probably be up to date all through the day as extra info on the indictments turn into out there. Examine again for updates.