Louisiana senator who helped secure Meta data center sold adjacent land before and after project announcement
By
Garrett Hazelwood/Floodlight
Sesame, salt, and substance. A flagship bake.
Summary
Louisiana State Senator John "Jay" Morris helped facilitate Meta's construction of Hyperion, one of the world's largest data centers, in Richland Parish through lobbying, co-sponsoring bills, and voting for tax breaks. The investigation reveals that Morris and his family sold land adjacent to the data center site both before and after Meta's announcement, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest and whether he used his legislative position for personal financial gain.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledI have never used my position as a state senator for personal financial gain. Period. Full stop.
The timing of these transactions raises serious questions about whether public office was used for private benefit.
This is exactly the kind of situation that erodes public trust — when the people writing the laws are also the ones benefiting from them financially.
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