Senator at center of Utah AI data center debate gets physical, slaps phone out of reporter’s hand — reporter covering cases of harassment against his business

Utah State Senator Jerry Stevenson was involved in a physical altercation with an ABC4 reporter covering harassment against his business, J&J Nursery and Garden Center, due to his involvement in approving a controversial 9-GW data center project. The incident involved Stevenson slapping the reporter's phone out of his hand, resulting in a police report being filed. Despite Stevenson's apology, the reporter and his crew were served with a trespassing notice. The backlash against data center developments is growing, with communities expressing concerns over power consumption and environmental impact. The White House's push for AI development is met with resistance as communities fear the consequences of unchecked data center growth.