HOUSTON – Barbie Robinson, who was fired earlier this year as the executive director of Harris County Public Health, has now been charged with felony misuse of official information.
Robinson is currently not in custody and is wanted for her arrest.
Recommended Videos
According to court records, from April 2021 and continuing through November 2021, Robinson, while a public servant, is accused of aiding International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) in gaining a pecuniary interest by sharing non-public information and facilitating sole-source contracts.
The Office of Harris County Administration announced the decision to fire Barbie Robinson from her role in August.
READ: Harris County Public Health Executive Director Barbie Robinson has been ‘fired’ from role
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 the county’s Department of Health Services for four years. Before that, Robinson worked at the Centers for Medicare & Medical Services and the San Francisco Division of Financial Management & Fee-for-Service Operations.
The investigation revealed her prior relationship with IBM during her tenure in Sonoma County and emails suggesting collaboration for a public contract in Harris County. The case raised concerns about transparency and oversight in county operations.
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg outlined details about the charges against Robinson on Tuesday.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo released a statement in response to Ogg’s prosecution against Robinson:
“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.”
KPRC 2 Investigates
Harris County Commissioner Tom Ramsey of Precinct 3 weighed in with KPRC 2 Investigates when Robinson was fired, making it clear he’s had concerns for quite some time.
“I’ve been for the last two-plus years expressing concerns of the hiring of a consultant from northern California, Dema. That is why I haven’t supported any motions to hire or pay Dema,” Ramsey said on Aug. 30.
Ramsey believed the termination required further scrutiny from county commissioners.
“We are going to need to do a complete audit of the health department and contracts. Transparency is important and using judgment when it comes to hiring out-of-state contractors,” he said.
Ramsey released the following statement on Monday:
“I’ve had concerns over the value of ACCESS Harris considering we spent over $25M to help just over 1,200 people. Now we have a whole new element to this ACCESS Harris and IBM contract, and I hope we get to the bottom of this.”
Documents detail allegations against Barbie Robinson
Documents and communications between IBM and Robinson were subpoenaed from IBM for the time she was the executive director of HCPH until her termination in August, according to records.
The affiant read in Harris County public documents from the county administrator’s database that Access Harris also used IBM as a key vendor after Robinson arrived in Harris County. According to records, Harris County initially awarded IBM approximately $16 million for an “enabling technology solution” for Access Harris.
Investigators collected IBM e-mails between IBM employee, Kenneth Wolsey, and non-IBM employees Ronish Lal, Carolyn Staats and Robinson. In the emails, they allegedly discussed sole-source contracts.
Records show Robinson had a previous relationship with IBM for Access Sonoma and wanted to replicate the Access program in Harris County.
Investigators believe that when Robinson began her work in Harris County, she continued communicating with IBM. The e-mails reportedly show that Robinson attempted to work with IBM to sole-source the public contract. Court documents show investigators also believe that non-public information was shared with people not authorized to receive or possess that information.
According to documents, the e-mails show that IBM was aware of the scope of the project before bidding began and had already started working on it. The alleged head start on the public bid is also underscored by the fact that IBM was able to promote its Access-enabling technologies through its strategic planning workshop in the months leading up to the technology Request For Proposal.