Fort Worth mayor, husband deny conflict of interest over data center lobbying
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and her husband, David Parker, have denied claims of a conflict of interest related to his lobbying firm's representation of the Data Center Coalition. Critics suggest the mayor should recuse herself from upcoming votes as the city prepares to establish new regulations for data center development. These regulations are in response to resident concerns about environmental impacts, including water and energy usage.
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and her husband, David Parker, have publicly denied allegations of a conflict of interest concerning his role at the Austin-based consulting firm, Longbow Partners. The controversy arose after a local activist highlighted public filings with the Texas Ethics Commission listing David Parker as a lobbyist for the Virginia-based Data Center Coalition, prompting questions about potential ethical concerns as the city faces decisions on data center regulations.
David Parker clarified in a social media post that while the Data Center Coalition is a client of Longbow Partners since 2023, it is a colleague, not he, who advises the coalition on state-level policies. He emphasized that he has never received compensation from, met with, or lobbied on behalf of the Data Center Coalition, which he states does not actively engage in local advocacy in Texas or Fort Worth. Mayor Parker reiterated that her husband's profession does not influence her voting or perspective on zoning cases or business before the council.
The debate unfolds as Fort Worth, home to four existing data centers and five more under construction or in progress, prepares for a City Council vote in August on new regulations to limit where and how data centers can operate. This initiative follows pushback from residents concerned about the impact of these facilities on the city’s natural resources, particularly water and energy. Activist EJ Carrion specifically alleged “nepotism and corruption” based on the lobbyist filings, urging Mayor Parker to recuse herself from related votes.
City spokesperson Sana Syed stated that the city attorney’s office constantly reviews recusal questions and has found no known reason for any council member to recuse or disclose a legal conflict of interest regarding data centers. The article also notes a past instance in March where council members, including the mayor, received campaign contributions totaling $46,000 from the CEO of Black Mountain, an energy consortium developing a data center in Fort Worth, which they also maintained did not influence their decisions. Council member Charlie Lauersdorf defended the mayor, dismissing the accusations as “guilt by association” rather than an actual conflict of interest.