AUSTIN, Tx — Corpus Christi activist Rachel Caballero made a shocking claim during a Texas Senate hearing.
On Wednesday, July 29, the Texas Senate Committee on Finance held a hearing at the state capitol in Austin to discuss data centers and the state's tax incentives for qualifying facilities.
If built, the proposed data center are expected to run extra high-voltage 765kV lines across Texas residents' properties, farms, and ranches.
During Wednesday's hearing, lawmakers heard testimony from state officials, industry representatives, and Texas property owners, including Corpus Christi activist Rachel Caballero, the President of the CC Taxpayers Association.
Dozens signed up to testify and were called to address the panel in groups of four.
During her testimony, Caballero told lawmakers she was a proud Corpus Christian and explained that the Texas' coasts, countryside, and quiet ranches and pastures are what makes the lone star state great. Caballero said tourists come to our area to see our beautiful state and that 120-foot monoliths would ruin rural areas.
"The absolute ridiculousness and delusion that this makes Texas stronger is propaganda. Repackaging this as something for the oil and gas industry is laughable," Caballero said.
She told the committee they had been speaking to panelists and lobbyists for months, and accused them of sitting there and pretending to be uninformed.
"This process is an absolute disgrace, unconstitutional, and a violation of our First Amendment rights. We should be asking you all if you have personal financial gain involved in these projects, Caballero said.
Moments later, she offered a solution. She asked that Texans keep an eye out for legislation to bring back public lynching of politicians who don't listen to their constituents.
My solution is to ask listening Texans and humans in the room to keep an eye out for legislation to bring back public lynching of politicians who refuse to listen to their constituents. We are not falling for your rhetoric. We are Texans. Do you job and protect Texas and Texans. Otherwise, this is tyranny. Stop 765s.
After Caballero's testimony, she and three other women who shared the concerns about data centers were excused. As Caballero was leaving her seat, she said "a**holes" under her breath and then walked away.
Her comments didn't sit well with at least one person in attendance.
Ian Wilson, who was called to testify after Caballero said, "Frankly, I was planning on saying something different, but after that last comment, culture violence is just so frustrating to hear."
On Friday morning, KRIS 6 reached out to Caballero to ask about the comments she made at the Senate committee and which lawmaker was behind the proposed legislation that called for public lynching of politicians. Minutes after giving us an interview, she asked that her comments be redacted. Instead, she asked that we report she did not have a comment.
Less than an hour later, Caballero sent us the following screenshot of a Facebook post accusing the local media of sensationalism.
