New warrant in investigation into Harris Co. $11M COVID contract wants Google to turn over staffers' documents
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas -- A fourth search warrant made public Thursday provides more details into the evidence law enforcement is seizing as part of an investigation to how a nearly $11 million COVID-19 outreach contract was awarded to a small Houston-based firm.
"I believe that Google LLC is in possession of electronic data that will show that Dunn, Triantaphyllis and Nader created, edited, commented on and/or viewed multiple scope of work documents," according to the search warrant.
During a nearly 20-minute news conference last month, Hidalgo offered few details into the allegations and referred questions to her attorney, but reiterated that everything she has done"has been completely above board, has been made with the interests of the people of Harris county in mind, with the interests of fighting COVID 19."
"She was sent a scope of work. That was the incorrect document. It was simply human error. I sent the wrong attachment. I probably do that once a day," Harrison said."You'll see a trail where that is corrected and another message is sent to her and it says, this is actually the correct scope of work approved by the judge."
In a Feb. 25, 2021 email,"Pereyra states she had just been invited to bid for Harris County's large COVID-19 outreach program to decrease vaccine hesitancy. She stated that she has 'really solid relationships in house and I feel really good about my chances in landing the project , so I'm just starting to build out a team,'" according to the search warrant.
Elevate Strategies was awarded the multi-million dollar vaccine outreach contract in June 2021, but amid the controversy it was canceled three months later.Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle, who was the sole commissioner who voted against the Elevate contract in 2021, has advocated that all taxpayer funds paid to Elevate should be paid back to the county.
Whenever the bid was finally open to the public, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and two other groups also submitted proposals to be considered.Last month, Hidalgo said irrespective of the investigation, as part of a recent review of the county's purchasing procedures,"No office will have staff members on selection committees going forward."
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