Alex Triantaphyllis, former chief of staff to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, had two charges of misuse of official information dismissed in connection to an alleged bid-rigging case. While Triantaphyllis still faces a charge of felony tampering with records, the dismissal comes after similar charges were dropped against two other staffers last week. The case stems from a controversial $11 million COVID-19 contract awarded to a little-known firm with ties to Democratic political campaigns.
Two charges of misuse of official information have been dismissed against Alex Triantaphyllis, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s former chief of staff who was charged in connection to an alleged bid-rigging case, court records show. The charges were dismissed on Thursday, when Triantaphyllis appeared in court. Court records still show an active charge of felony tampering with record.
On Thursday, Judge Hidalgo is expected to hold a press conference about the dismissal of charges against her staffers. FOX 26 will livestream it at 1 p.m. Triantaphylis was one of three staffers charged in the case. Charges of felony tampering with government documents and misuse of official information were dropped against Wallis Nader and Aaron Dunn last week. In 2022, Nader, Dunn and Triantaphyllis were named in a felony criminal indictment. They were accused of orchestrating a bid-rigging scheme to steer the multi-million dollar contract to a little known, one-woman firm with few resources and extensive connections to Democratic political campaigns. The indictment came after a controversial $11 million Harris County COVID-19 contract was given to 'Elevate Strategies LLC', an operation that, at the time, had been in existence barely two years and was based at a residential apartment complex in Montrose. Hidalgo and the court quickly canceled the contract after pressure. Last week, FOX 26 spoke with Dunn's attorney, Derek Hollingsworth, who said his client broke no laws and was 'collateral damage' in a political vendetta aimed at Hidalgo. 'I know that people will roll their eyes about this, but I truly believe this was a political prosecution meant to get back at Judge Hidalgo. I'm really glad we got to the result we did, which was law enforcement authorities finally rolled up their sleeves and saw it for what it was, nothing,' said Hollingsworth, who predicted charges will also be dropped against Triantaphyllis. As a result of this criminal case dismissal, Harris County taxpayer will likely pick up a very large legal tab. Under a policy approved by Harris County Commissioners, workers who are prosecuted or sued for actions taken during the course of their employment and later cleared are entitled to full reimbursement for the cost of their legal defense. 'This is a perfect case where that's a valid policy. If you are being prosecuted solely because you happen to be a County employee and it was determined later, as it was here, that case had no merit and should be dismissed, then you shouldn't have to incur your own legal fees,' said Hollingsworth
HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE LINDA HIDALGO BID-RIGGING LEGAL CASE STAFFERS ALEX TRIANTAPHYLLIS WALIS NADER AARON DUNN ELEVATESTRATEGIES LLC
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Free Legal Aid and Rental Assistance for Harris County TenantsNDS offers free legal aid and housing defense services to low-income residents of Harris County facing eviction.
Read more »
Eviction courts are jammed—but one Harris County official has found a better wayThe situation in eviction courts across Harris County has reached a breaking point, with tenants, landlords and judges struggling to keep up with an overwhelming number of cases.
Read more »
Harris County Mandates Backup Power for Assisted Living FacilitiesHarris County becomes the first in Texas to require backup power for assisted living and nursing homes. The mandate aims to protect residents during extreme weather events after several deaths linked to power outages.
Read more »
Man, Woman Shot in Drive-By in East Harris CountyTwo people were injured in a drive-by shooting in Highlands, east Harris County, on Wednesday afternoon. A man in his vehicle and a woman standing near the residence were both struck by gunfire. Two children inside the home were unharmed. Authorities are investigating a possible connection to an earlier arson incident at the same location.
Read more »
3 Teens Killed in Police Chase Crash in Harris CountyTragic incident involving a police chase that resulted in a fatal crash, claiming the lives of three teenagers. The crash occurred in northwest Harris County, and the remaining passengers are in critical condition.
Read more »
Parents Seek Answers After Award-Winning Childcare Facility Dropped From Harris County FundingParents are facing an urgent childcare crisis after their beloved facility was unexpectedly removed from a county-funded program.
Read more »