Data Center Dynasty: Burt Jones' Billion-Dollar Betrayal

In this fiery October 16, 2025, episode of The Georgia Hour on Voice of Rural America, host BKP delivers a no-holds-barred takedown of Georgia's Republican establishment, zeroing in on Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones' alleged conflicts of interest and the brewing governor's race. Kicking off with vindication for his long-held predictions, BKP unpacks how Jones—fresh off a Donald Trump endorsement—pushed through a 2023 bipartisan bill rewriting certificate-of-need (CON) laws for hospitals, a move critics say was tailor-made to greenlight a 100-bed private hospital on family-owned land in Bucks County. This isn't just about healthcare; it's a gateway to a massive $10 billion "River Park" mega-project along I-75, dominated by up to 11 million square feet of mammoth data centers—dwarfing Lenox Mall in scale—owned by Jones' wealthy father, Bill Jones, whose Bucks County empire spans vast tracts of land.

BKP connects the dots to a web of cozy alliances: Josh McKoon, Georgia GOP chairman, has relocated to Bucks County, where his wife, Jacqueline McKoon, now leads the local Chamber of Commerce. He rails against "trade deals" in the legislature, citing examples like Sen. Brandon Beach bloating an innocuous Soap Box Derby bill into a gambling windfall for cronies. Citing an Atlanta Journal-Constitution exposé, BKP highlights the project's pivot from vague "computer storage warehouses" to data center bonanza, fueled by Georgia's booming tech hub status (e.g., Amazon Web Services' $270 million land grab). He warns of impending legislation granting tax abatements to data centers—mirroring sweetheart deals for Hyundai, Kia, and the fleeing film industry—framing it as economic "development" at rural Georgians' expense. BKP urges listeners fighting data centers to reconcile their outrage with supporting a Trump-backed candidate potentially enriching his kin.

The episode pivots to the 2026 governor's race, spotlighting a fresh poll showing Jones surging at 32%, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger polling a surprising 15% (his debut in such surveys), Chris Carr at 12-18%, and dark horses like Clark Dean at 2%. BKP blasts Carr's pointed campaign jab: vowing not to "rig the system to enrich my family... on your backs," a direct shot at Jones amid the scandal. He ties this to Trump's recent comments blasting Sen. Jon Ossoff as a "weak, ineffective" enabler of crime and open borders, while hinting at Fulton County vote irregularities from 2020—fueling speculation Trump won't let Raffensperger, the election overseer, anywhere near the governorship.

Shifting to the U.S. Senate race, BKP analyzes Trump's coy "I'm following that race very carefully" video, interpreting it as strategic fence-sitting. Rep. Mike Collins' camp is "optimistic" about securing the nod, thanks to MAGA-aligned bills like one Trump could tout in a State of the Union. Rep. Buddy Carter positions himself as a "MAGA warrior" with deep pockets, while Kemp's handpicked Derek Dooley climbs polls, bolstered by Nick Saban's pitches to Trump. BKP cautions against Kemp's pleas for Trump to hold off, emphasizing the endorsement chase over voter outreach as the primary looms.

Wrapping with irreverent jabs, BKP promotes Scott Howard's Substack ("Unmasking Greg the Weasel Dolezal"—a graphic-laden roast of a Kemp ally) and flashes his "Certified Georgia Republican Party Outlaw" badge. He mocks DNC Chair tin-cup fundraising woes amid Georgia's economic woes, then tees up guest Vernon Jones (running for Secretary of State) with a video intro, promising more unfiltered truth post-break. Clocking in as a rapid-fire, conspiracy-tinged rally cry, the episode embodies BKP's signature blend of insider scoops, Trump loyalty, and anti-elite fury—urging listeners to "do the research" on the gathering political storm.