Ohio Republican named to lead data center hearings had undisclosed stakes in energy companies
Ohio's new Joint Data Center Committee, tasked with drafting legislation, is co-chaired by Sen. Brian Chavez, who faces an unresolved ethics complaint for allegedly concealing energy sector financial interests. Separately, a progressive policy group highlights GOP gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy's extensive investments across the data center supply chain, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Meanwhile, a citizen petition aims to ban large data centers in the state.
Sen. Brian Chavez (R-Marietta), co-chair of Ohio's newly formed Joint Data Center Committee, is under scrutiny due to an unresolved ethics complaint alleging he concealed financial interests in the energy sector. The complaint, filed in January 2026 by Washington County for Safe Drinking Water, claims Chavez failed to disclose ownership stakes in at least five oil and gas companies, including DeepRock Disposal Solutions LLC, and that his company, Chavez Well Service, won a state contract while he chaired the Ohio Senate Energy Committee and advanced related legislation. The Ohio Joint Legislative Ethics Committee took no action, allowing the complaint to expire without investigation, a procedural outcome that Senate Republicans deemed a vindication while advocacy groups maintained the conflict remains.
Chavez's appointment to lead the data center committee, which is mandated to produce legislation before summer recess and has heard testimony from lobbyists representing major tech companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, has amplified concerns about impartiality. Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) emphasized the committee's role in passing data center legislation.
The article also highlights other potential conflicts of interest shaping Ohio's data center policy. An analysis by Innovation Ohio revealed GOP gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy's significant personal investments across the data center supply chain. As governor, Ramaswamy would appoint key agency boards, including JobsOhio and the Ohio Power Siting Board, which permit and regulate the data center industry, leading to concerns about his financial gain influencing state policy.
In addition to the joint committee's work and a House-passed bill to create a data center study commission, a citizen petition organized by Conserve Ohio is underway. The group seeks a constitutional amendment to ban large data centers, defined as those consuming over 25 megawatts of electricity monthly, and needs nearly half a million signatures by July 1 to get on the ballot. This reflects ongoing opposition efforts to data center development in the state.