Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg defended felony charges against former public health director Barbie Robinson, countering Judge Lina Hidalgo's accusations of political bias and emphasizing evidence-based prosecution.
In a Tuesday news conference, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg defended the felony charges against former executive director of Harris County Public Health Barbie Robinson. Robinson is accused of using official information improperly, and her felony charge from her time in service before her August firing.
Ogg addressed comments from County Judge Lina Hidalgo, who had termed the accusations politically motivated, during the conference. Hidalgo said in a strongly worded statement that the accusations against Robinson matched similar claims Ogg made against former employees, which she called "rife with falsehoods." Hidalgo said, "Kim Ogg keeps her office weaponizing against those who disagree with her."
Ogg responded by discounting the assertions of political prejudice, saying, "We're not in high school, and our cases aren't founded on ideas. Their foundation is evidence. Emphasizing that the evidence-backed Robinson's claimed legal infractions, she clarified that the allegations against him were made through legal processes including direct filings and the grand jury process.
Ogg underlined once more how facts, not political differences, determine the work of her office. "The opinions of politically elected persons are irrelevant to the criminal process," she said.
The prosecution against Robinson has escalated conflict between Ogg and the county government, therefore polarizing local politics. While the district attorney says she is committed to following the law independent of political connections, Hidalgo and others have questioned Ogg's motives.
This case highlights the junction of politics and legal processes in well-publicized events, therefore marking another chapter in the continuous conflict between Ogg and Harris County officials.
