On 8/2/22, the backroom deals continued at Harris County Commissioners Court, with Democrats handing another no-bid contract to XMi Protection LLC, this time for $321,376 ($20,000 per WEEK) for four more months of "work". This is much higher than the previous no-bid contract they handed to XMi Protection back in April ($121,524 - $10,000 per WEEK). For the details on this story, please click on the links below:
So, not only do the backroom deals continue, but they are getting much more expensive. Back in April, Democrats claimed the first no-bid contract to tiny XMi Protection LLC was just a stop-gap measure until an RFP competitive bid process could be conducted. Now, Democrats state the RFP bid process was unsuccessful, so they need to hand another, more expensive, no-bid contract to XMi (again, pending a future RFP). Of course, all of that is BS. County Judge Lina Hidalgo could have just continued to rely on the Precinct One Constables Office for personal protection, either indefinitely or until the final RFP process was complete. Instead, Judge Hidalgo has requested, advocated, and voted for these expensive, no-bid, private security contracts to XMi. As we asked back in April, why are these no-bid contracts going to this new, tiny, inexperienced company? Is there a personal relationship between County Judge Lina Hidalgo and XMi Protection LLC owner/operator, Mr. Cortez Richardson? Is there some sort of quid pro quo? Are these no-bid contracts totaling $440,000 just the first phase in a scheme to eventually award XMI Protection a large, multi-million-dollar county contract through the future RFP process? In my opinion, the lack of transparency in awarding these no-bid contracts gives the strong appearance of corruption, especially given the prior allegations of contract bid-rigging in the County Judge's Office (see links below).
With Judge Hidalgo running for re-election this year, you would think she would be going out of her way to avoid even the appearance of corruption and/or wasteful spending. Instead, we continue to see these types of backroom deals. If Judge Hidalgo is defeated in November, she will only have herself to blame.
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