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Data centers, dark money: The interfaith group that won’t disclose anything

July 30, 2026 · 1 min read

(RNS) — It’s a “follow the money” thing.

A few weeks ago, residents of Prince George’s County, Maryland, received a text message telling them about the benefits of data centers: jobs, investment, economic opportunity.

The message wasn’t signed. It didn’t say who had paid to send it. But it linked to a website belonging to something called the Interfaith Action Movement.

It sounds like a coalition of religious leaders. But the leaders, followers and houses of worship were not disclosed by the IAM contact.

And the timing was interesting. Less than a week earlier, Prince George’s County had imposed a two-year moratorium on hyperscale data centers. Residents were already fighting over the environmental costs, the economic promises and who would ultimately benefit.

So who was behind this “interfaith” campaign?

RNS reporter Aleja Hertzler-McCain followed the anonymous text to a Seventh-day Adventist faith leader and political consultant with connections to Maryland, New Jersey and a campaign-finance scandal in Bermuda.