Greg Abbott raked in $9 million from data center-related donors as he called for regulations

Data Center Oligarchs Gave Abbott $9M To Shut Up

The Texas Tribune reports: In June, as public opinion on data centers soured, Gov. Greg Abbott took his first big swing at reining in the industry, issuing a round of regulatory recommendations to the Legislature that included his call to end a major tax break for the facilities. Donors with ties to the data center industry responded with cash. That same month, they gave Abbott’s campaign $1.5 million. Two months later, the third-term governor t…

Greg Abbott raked in $9 million from data center-related donors as he called for regulations

About $4.9 million of the haul came from donors who develop, own or operate data centers, a Tribune analysis found.

“Greg Abbott raked in $9 million from data center-related donors as he called for regulations”

The Texas Tribune analyzes money flowing to candidates in Texas from donors with ties to the data center industry. The headline focuses on Greg Abbot, but the analysis runs down the ballot, while acknowledging that some of these donors have… Continue reading The post “Greg Abbott raked in $9 million from data center-related donors as he called for regulations” appeared first on Election Law Blog.

Greg Abbott raked in $9 million from data center donors

About $5 million of the haul came from donors who develop, own or operate data centers, a Tribune analysis found. The other share of the donations came from people and groups with indirect financial ties.

Texas Continued Data Center Permitting after the Governor’s Pause

Governor Abbott told TCEQ on September 21 to halt data center permits. TCEQ’s own records show it kept mailing public notices, advancing and expediting gas plant applications, issuing air certifications and approving construction stormwater coverage.

Permit Freeze: Texas pulls back on data centers as audit deadlines approach

Texas spent the past two years selling itself as the center of American AI infrastructure. On Sept. 21, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to stop issuing permits sought by data center projects statewide and his office said he will work with the Legislature next session to eliminate any financial incentives for the industry. “Simply put, Texans must come first,” Abbott said in a statement. “Data centers must p…