Far-left Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has recently announced that she will be taking a leave of absence in order to seek treatment for clinical depression. In a statement, Hidalgo explained that she had checked herself into an out-of-state facility in late July based on her doctor’s recommendation. She emphasized the importance of addressing this issue promptly and stated that she would temporarily step away from her duties during the treatment period. Hidalgo hopes to return to her normal schedule by early September.
The news of Hidalgo’s leave of absence comes after she secured her reelection in 2022, defeating a popular Republican candidate by a margin of nearly 16,000 votes. However, her tenure as judge has been marred by controversy and allegations of misconduct. Three of her top staffers have been indicted, and law enforcement officers even booed her during a commissioners court meeting last October.
Republicans made significant efforts and spent millions of dollars in their attempt to unseat Hidalgo, but she managed to secure another term as judge. However, concerns about potential improprieties in the Harris County elections were raised by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who called for an investigation into the matter. He expressed the possibility that election irregularities in the state’s largest county could be the result of malfeasance or even criminal conduct.
One incident that raised doubts about the integrity of the elections was the disenfranchisement of Republican voters on Election Day. These voters arrived at the polling station at 8 pm, believing they still had an hour left to cast their votes. However, they were informed that the cut-off time was actually 7 pm, leading to their exclusion. The shortage of paper ballots on Election Day was also more severe than initially estimated, prompting Abbott to suggest the need for new elections.
Furthermore, Hidalgo and her staff were implicated in a scandal involving a no-bid contract. In April 2022, Hidalgo’s top three staffers were indicted following an investigation into an $11 million “vaccine outreach contract” awarded to one of the judge’s political acquaintances. These indictments came to light while Hidalgo was enforcing strict Covid rules and threatening individuals with jail time and fines for non-compliance. It was later revealed that she was attempting to award a lucrative contract to one of her cronies, but ultimately canceled it when questions were raised about the credibility and experience of the chosen contractor.
Among those indicted were Hidalgo’s Chief of Staff Alex Triantaphyllis and Policy Director Wallis Nader, along with co-defendant Aaron Dunn. These individuals were charged with misuse of official information and tampering with government documents in relation to the now-canceled vaccine outreach contract.
The controversies and scandals surrounding Hidalgo have undoubtedly raised concerns about her leadership and judgement. While her leave of absence for mental health treatment is a personal matter, it remains to be seen how this will impact her ability to regain the trust of the public and effectively carry out her duties as Harris County Judge. Only time will tell if Hidalgo can overcome these challenges and restore faith in her leadership.
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