Hagerstown Rapid Response

09/16/2026

Why is Jeff Cline so intent on helping JGBLI?

Yesterday, JGBLI executives attended the Washington County Commissioners meeting, presumably to witness in-person the commissioners pursue state grant funding that, if awarded, would use taxpayer money to pay for work on JGBLI’s property in Cascade.

Jeff Cline has repeatedly shown an enthusiasm for using public resources to benefit private development - particularly businesses of his friends - and this is another example. Taxpayers would be footing the bill for improvements to privately owned property, while JGBLI stands to benefit from work it otherwise might have had to pay for itself.

So it is fair to ask why Jeff Cline is so eager to make this happen for JGBLI, and what exactly he believes Washington County taxpayers are getting in return.

Because when an elected official is this enthusiastic about handing public money to private interests, taxpayers deserve to know exactly who benefits, why, and what’s in it for the public.

09/15/2026

09/15/2026

Just a reminder: Washington County Commissioner Jeff Cline took campaign money from the COO of data center developer Diversified Capital.

A few months later, that same executive was behind closed doors with Cline and the other County Commissioners for a confidential presentation about a development project. The Commissioners signed NDAs for that development project. We later uncovered that Diversified Capital is managing the development of a 242-acre historic Hagerstown farm into a massive data center project.

The public deserves answers.

09/14/2026

This beautiful Hagerstown farm is slated to become the site of a massive data center.

Why were Washington County Commissioners privately working with a data center developer and then publicly claiming they needed a moratorium to study the consequences of data centers, including their demands on water, electricity, land use, and local infrastructure?

Data center job postings are now appearing online (see our latest Substack post).

Why did Jeff Cline accept campaign contributions from that data center developer and then, along with all of the other commissioners, sign an NDA and meet with that data center developer?

Protest tomorrow (Tues) at 9 AM
📍100 W Washington St, Hagerstown, MD outside the Washington County Commissioners meeting.

Join us!

09/14/2026

Data Center Protest TOMORROW in Hagerstown!
Reminder: Washington County Commissioner Jeff Cline took money from a data center developer, signed an NDA with them, and now they are developing a giant data center.

09/13/2026

Just ten days after we accidentally uncovered a planned data center project in Washington County, data center job listings appeared online for Hagerstown.

On June 30, Washington County Commissioners Claimed They Wanted to Pause Data Centers. Now CBRE Is Hiring for Them in Hagerstown.

09/12/2026

“Officers in tactical vests can be seen raising batons and hitting at least one protester about their body, while others are dragged and shoved.”

09/11/2026

"Frederick City Council President César Díaz said ICE threatened residents with remarks like “We see you,” “We know where you live,” and “We have your license plate.” More footage shows an ICE agent pointing a gun at people on the ground." via Democracy Now!

In Maryland, local officials are demanding accountability after ICE violently clashed with protesters when federal agents swarmed the streets of a residential neighborhood in the city of Frederick last week. Video released by the group Hagerstown Rapid Response shows ICE agents driving onto sidewalk...