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3 Lina Hidalgo staffers indicted in connection with $11 million Harris County COVID vaccine outreach

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo fields questions after unsealed court documents alleged that staff members in Hidalgo's office steered an $11 million contract for a COVID-19 outreach project to a preferred vendor. Taken on March 22, 2022.
Lucio Vasquez
/
Houston Public Media
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo fields questions after unsealed court documents alleged that staff members in Hidalgo's office steered an $11 million contract for a COVID-19 outreach project to a preferred vendor. Taken on March 22, 2022.

Two current and one former senior staffers for Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo were indicted Monday for what investigators say was an attempt to steer a roughly $11 million COVID-19 vaccine outreach contract to a preferred vendor.

Chief of staff Alex Triantaphyllis, former senior policy director Wallis Nader and former senior adviser Aaron Dunn were all indicted on charges of records tampering and misuse of official information, according to records filed with the Harris County District Clerk. All three have been accused of communicating with a vendor, Elevate Strategies, to tailor an ostensibly competitive bid process to the company’s strengths.

The contract was eventually pulled.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has not been indicted, and has denied any wrongdoing.

PREVIOUSLY | Unsealed warrants detail communication between Hidalgo staffers and a vendor over $11 million contract

This is a developing story and will be updated.
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Paul DeBenedetto