Room five · Case five
June 18, 2026: Governor Mike Kehoe holds a statewide forum on AI and data centers in Rolla. Prepared remarks only, no questions taken from the floor.
Governor Mike Kehoe, prepared remarks
"There are enemies of this country that do not want us to develop this type of technology; they would like to be the sole owner of this type of technology." He has repeatedly suggested opposition to data centers is fueled by foreign — specifically Chinese — misinformation, without evidence connecting any influence operation to actual Missouri residents.
Republican State Rep. Tricia Byrnes, same party, in response
"We have extremely intelligent people all across Missouri, and what I'm hearing now is this spin that they're hearing stuff from China. I can tell you, no one from China asked me to have you here today."
Corbett Shannon, Pacific Root Coalition, public letter
The "enemies of this country" claim is "a serious accusation — not just against anonymous voices online, but against the thousands of Missourians who have spoken out at public meetings, written letters, signed petitions, and contacted their elected officials."
Tim Schafer, Nodaway County rancher
Reported to have broken down describing the impact of a proposed data center roughly one mile from his ranch, at a protest the day before the governor's forum.
A Republican state representative is publicly contradicting a Republican governor's own framing of his constituents. What would it take for that framing to be either evidenced or retracted, rather than simply repeated?