Louisiana Senator Morris Sold Nearly 300 Acres Near Meta Site After Backing $3.3 Billion Tax Breaks
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 25
Louisiana Senator Morris Sold Nearly 300 Acres Near Meta Site After Backing $3.3 Billion Tax Breaks
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 25
Floodlight found John "Jay" Morris bought and sold land around Meta’s 3,650-acre Hyperion datacenter while helping advance the project, including a February sale of nearly 300 acres to Entergy for a gas-fired power plant.
At issue is whether Morris should have disclosed or recused himself: he cosponsored bills enabling the state’s land deal with Meta, voted for an estimated $3.3 billion in datacenter tax breaks, and lobbied a utility regulator before Entergy won approval for a $3.2 billion power buildout.
Experts and a former Louisiana ethics board chair said the pattern could violate state rules barring officials from using office for private gain, while Morris denied wrongdoing and said his landholdings were public and the measures applied broadly.
The project’s scale magnifies the stakes: Hyperion is expected to use more than seven times New Orleans’ daily power demand, driving Entergy’s biggest-ever expansion and intensifying scrutiny of Louisiana’s loosened ethics oversight.
Meta's $27B datacenter promises jobs but strains local resources. Is this a fair trade for rural communities?
As AI's energy thirst grows, can states attract datacenters without fueling corruption and environmental harm?
When a politician’s land deals align perfectly with his votes, where is the line between smart investing and public corruption?
Ethics Under Fire: Senator Morris, Meta’s $12 Million Land Deal, and the Battle Over Louisiana’s Data Center Tax Breaks
Overview
A major controversy has erupted around Louisiana State Senator John “Jay” Morris, who is under scrutiny for his personal land deals near Meta’s new Hyperion data center and his legislative actions supporting tax breaks and infrastructure for the project. Experts point to a sustained pattern of behavior, including creating legal authority for land deals, advocating for substantial tax incentives, lobbying regulators, and acquiring real estate in the area. These actions raise serious questions about potential violations of state ethics laws, which are meant to prevent officials from using their positions for personal financial gain or failing to recuse themselves when conflicts of interest arise.