Developer sues election candidate in Webster County over data center comments
The developer of a controversial data center under construction in Marshfield sued Webster County presiding commissioner candidate Gail Pete Brown for defamation over comments criticizing the project. The lawsuit disputes claims about the facility’s electrical and cooling systems and says a video of loud generator noise created a misleading impression about long-term impacts.
Trent Overhue, the developer of an ongoing data center project in Marshfield, filed a defamation lawsuit against Gail Pete Brown, a candidate for Webster County presiding commissioner. Brown has publicly opposed the development, and the lawsuit alleges that comments about the facility’s electrical and cooling systems were misleading and caused reputational and financial harm.
The complaint cites a social media video showing loud noise from the facility, arguing that the recording captured generator testing rather than the project’s expected long-term operating conditions. Overhue had not responded to the station’s request for comment, while Brown declined to comment. Nearby residents described construction traffic and equipment activity but said conditions had improved after the facility was largely completed.