WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Additional actions against the US state of Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) are being considered amid revelations that the agency’s Chief Counsel Jack Stick was steering over $100 million in contacts to a technology company, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement.
“I will take the findings of the strike force’s report into account as I determine what additional actions must be taken to ensure Texans can have the trust they deserve to be able to place in their government,” Abbott stated on Monday following a report conducted by an independent review into the HHSC.
The Texas Governor noted the report’s findings are deeply troubling, but also said such state of affairs at the HHSC is unacceptable.
The investigation into the HHSC followed a media report about a local data-analytics company 21CT handling of the Agency’s contracts, which found that Stick had a former relationship with contract lobbyist James Frinzi.
The discovery raised questions about HHSC’s procurement and contracting processes, according to the Abbott’s report.
Abbott noted the report’s findings are “deeply troubling,” but also said such state of affairs at the HHSC is “unacceptable.”
The independent report recommended that the HHSC make improvements in its “procurement and contracting processes” with 21CT and all other contracts, review all purchases while recovering all funds paid to 21CT, as well as limit awards under cooperative contacts.
