Haaland’s former campaign boss now lobbying for Project Jupiter firm
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland in New Mexico is facing scrutiny over campaign contributions and lobbying efforts linked to the data center industry, specifically Project Jupiter. Her former campaign manager is now a lobbyist for Bloom Energy, which powers Project Jupiter, while her campaign received significant donations from companies involved in the project. Haaland has proposed a moratorium on *new* large-scale data centers, though Project Jupiter, already under construction, would not be impacted.
New Mexico Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland is facing heightened scrutiny regarding a web of connections between her political circle and the artificial intelligence data center industry, particularly the massive $165 billion Project Jupiter. Scott Forrester, who managed Haaland's initial gubernatorial and successful 2018 congressional campaigns, is now registered as a lobbyist for Bloom Energy, a company slated to provide the fuel-cell system powering Project Jupiter in Santa Teresa.
These lobbying efforts coincide with significant campaign contributions to Haaland. Reports indicate her campaign has received at least $117,200 from Oracle America and individuals associated with Oracle, Project Jupiter contractor Clayco, and STACK Infrastructure, one of the project's developers. Key executives from STACK, including Matthew VanderZanden, Mike Casey, and Kevin Hughes, along with Oracle officials like Kenneth Glueck, Josh Pitcock, and Julia Robin, are among the identified donors.
Despite these ties, Haaland has adopted an increasingly critical stance toward large data centers, vowing to implement a "day-one moratorium" on new large-scale data center projects if elected. This proposed moratorium would impose new state requirements concerning water, electricity, transparency, environmental impacts, and community involvement. However, Haaland has acknowledged that this moratorium would not halt the already under-construction Project Jupiter. The political entanglement has drawn criticism from lawmakers, with State Rep. Micaela Lara Cadena (D-Mesilla) highlighting the extensive network of "power brokers" lobbying for Project Jupiter's interests. Oracle itself has reportedly spent over $3.4 million promoting the development and seeking support for an air-quality permit in what has been described as a major lobbying push in New Mexico, as construction continues rapidly, with Oracle informing Doña Ana County commissioners that the site is already 26% complete.