Gabi Finlayson, a political consultant in Utah, was recently accused by investor Kevin O’Leary of being affiliated with the Chinese government while opposing a proposed 40,000-acre data center in the state. Finlayson and her colleague Jackie Morgan received multiple messages alerting them to the accusations after O’Leary's comments on Fox News, where he claimed to have found connections between their organization, Elevate Strategies, and the Chinese Communist Party.
Finlayson and Morgan refuted these claims, stating their opposition to the Stratos data center is based on environmental concerns, including a potential 50% increase in Utah's greenhouse gas emissions, as estimated by a University of Utah professor. O’Leary, however, suggested that opposition to the data center could be linked to foreign interests, specifically China, framing the construction as a national security issue.
The narrative surrounding the necessity of data centers for national security has gained traction, echoing a 2025 executive order by former President Donald Trump aimed at expediting the federal permitting process for such projects. Finlayson and Morgan, who are involved in local Democratic campaigns, argue that the data center has faced significant public backlash, with many Utah residents expressing their discontent at public meetings and through formal protests.
Despite the county commission's approval of the data center, there are ongoing efforts to challenge this decision, including a potential voter referendum. In response to public pressure, the Utah legislature has announced plans to study the environmental impacts of the data center, particularly concerning the Great Salt Lake's water resources. Governor Spencer Cox acknowledged the rollout of the project was poorly handled, and further protests are planned at the Utah State Capitol.
