The Office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced its assistance in criminal bid-rigging investigations involving the Harris County District Attorney's Office and the Texas Rangers. The investigations are related to a case where the Harris County Judge's Office allegedly manipulated the bidding process for a public outreach contract funded by COVID-19 relief funds.
In 2021, the Harris County Commissioners Court awarded an $11 million contract to Elevate Strategies for COVID-19 vaccine community outreach. The organization was recommended by County Judge Lina Hidalgo's staffers, despite other entities scoring higher on internal evaluations. The bidding process was marred by irregularities, with Hidalgo staffers waiving financial fitness requirements and sharing bid details with Elevate Strategies before they were made public. Subsequently, in 2022, three Hidalgo staffers were indicted on bid-rigging charges.
The Attorney General's Office's Law Enforcement and Criminal Prosecutions Divisions are set to provide investigative and prosecutorial support in the case. Attorney General Paxton affirmed the commitment of his team to uphold professionalism and seek truth and justice in this and all other cases across the state.
“Our prosecutors and investigators are the best in the State,” said Attorney General Paxton. "They handle every case with utmost professionalism. In this case as in all others, we will seek truth and justice.