Press & Statements — Holmes Osborne for Jackson County Executive

Forum · Video Record June 13, 2026 · Unity Temple on the Plaza · Kansas City, MO

"Go Through the Other Candidates' Ethics Filings."

At Saturday's Jackson County Executive candidate forum, Holmes Osborne delivered the panel's most pointed answer on the $6.26 billion Nebius AI data center deal — and turned the question into a transparency challenge against his opponents.

Holmes Osborne — the CFA charterholder and Metropolitan Community College Trustee running on a top-to-bottom forensic audit of Jackson County's books — joined five other Democratic candidates on stage at the Jackson County Executive Candidate Forum on June 13, 2026 at Unity Temple on the Plaza. The forum was hosted by Midtown KC Democrats, Jackson County Democrats, and Missouri Young Democrats, and moderated by Brian Ellison of KCUR.

Asked where the candidates stand on the Nebius AI data center deal in Independence, Osborne pointed to his pre-race public opposition as a sitting MCC Trustee, told the audience he had "read the 400-page prospectus," and called on voters to investigate the campaign-finance disclosures of every candidate on stage.

From the Floor — Forum Remarks

"Don't listen to the candidates up here on stage. Go through their ethics filings and see who is receiving money from the big builders and the unions. They're going to roll into town, have a little bit of union work, hire a bunch of outsiders, and then blow $6 billion. And there's a chance the city of Independence could be stuck with this building forever."

— Holmes Osborne, Jackson County Executive Candidate Forum, June 13, 2026

Video Record

Watch the clip — Osborne's full data-center answer · approximately 65 seconds · recorded on iPhone by the campaign press contact.

Audio (MP3) Direct download for transcript or replay. forum-audio/holmes-data-center-answer.mp3

Transcript (lightly edited for clarity)

"I spoke out against the Nebius here in Independence before I got in this race, as a trustee of Subdistrict 4 for the Metropolitan Community College. This tiny little Dutch company named Nebius is set to actually own the city of Independence. The city of Independence will own a 2.1 million square foot building. Independence Power and Light will produce 800 megawatts of electricity — enough to power approximately 400,000 homes. So, reading through this 400-page prospectus, I saw that the city is on the hook for this whole thing. Now, you're asking where I stand on this and where the candidates stand on it. Don't listen to the candidates up here on stage. Go through their ethics filings and see who is receiving money from the big builders and the unions, because the unions think they're going to get a bunch of work off this stuff. They're not going to get a bunch of work off this stuff. They're going to roll into town, have a little bit of union work, and then hire a bunch of outsiders, and then blow $6 billion. And there's a chance the city of Independence could be stuck with this great building forever."

Documented Prior Record on Nebius

Osborne's position at Saturday's forum is consistent with his prior public writing as an elected MCC Trustee:

May 14, 2026 — Written Statement: "Trillions in AI Investments: Huge Upside — But Huge Risk for Communities" — read the original post. Published by Holmes Osborne in his capacity as MCC Trustee (Subdistrict Four) and distributed to the "Stop the AI Data Center in Independence" community (approximately 100,000 members), the largest organized group of Independence residents opposing the project. Key passage: "If the economy hits the skids, the City could be stuck with the building and IPL stuck with a power plant capable of powering 400,000 homes... And if the boom ends, Independence could be left holding the bag... It's worth asking hard questions today, before we find out how much taxpayers and ratepayers could be on the hook for tomorrow."
Additional written engagement on the Nebius deal: Osborne posted further analysis on the Nebius project in the same "Stop the AI Data Center in Independence" community — read the post.
February 20, 2026 — Public engagement: Osborne shared a Financial Times report ("Trump's faith in AI fuels grassroots Maga revolt") covering the Independence community response to data centers — months before entering the County Executive race.

Public Record — Verified Facts on the Nebius Deal

Council vote: Independence City Council approved Chapter 100 industrial revenue bonds for Nebius 5–2 on March 2, 2026. Mayor Rory Rowland and Councilmember Brice Stewart voted no. (Sources: KCUR, KSHB.)
Public hearing: A 5½-hour public hearing preceded the vote; more than 45 residents spoke against. (Source: KCUR.)
Blocked referendum: Residents petitioned for a ballot referendum. On March 25, 2026, Jackson County Circuit Judge Jennifer Phillips ruled the ordinance was not subject to a referendum under the city charter. (Source: KSHB.)
Deal size: 90 percent tax abatement on up to $150.6 billion in property and equipment over 20 years — approximately $6.26 billion in foregone tax revenue. Nebius will pay approximately $651.5 million in payments-in-lieu-of-taxes. (Source: KCUR.)
Political fallout: Two of the five councilmembers who voted yes lost re-election in April 2026. Mayor-elect Kevin King, who signed the referendum petition, beat Bridget McCandless by 20+ points after losing to her by 17 points in the February primary. (Source: KCUR.)

Download Full Press Release (PDF) Press Contact

Statement June 8, 2026 · Kansas City, MO

Silenced on Stage. Twice. Now He's Asking Why.

Video from the Urban Summit's own recording shows Jackson County Executive candidate Holmes Osborne was cut off twice in one afternoon — the first time when he raised the $6.6 billion Nebius AI data center deal in Independence.

Holmes Osborne attended the 19th Annual Urban Summit Conference — organized by the Urban League of Greater Kansas City — on June 6, 2026 at The Gathering KC. He was invited to participate in a candidate panel at the request of a sitting Missouri legislator. The Urban Summit's own four-hour video recording documents what followed.

Incident One — approximately 2:42 into the recording. The moderator asked the panel how candidates authentically engage young people in politics. Osborne pointed to Independence, Missouri, where the proposed Nebius AI data center — a 2.1 million square foot, 800-megawatt facility — had been, in his words, "rammed down our throats" by a city council that voted 5–2 "without really knowing what they were talking about." He held up the young people of Independence — who organized against the deal, ousted two councilmen, and are pursuing a third recall — as a model of authentic civic engagement. The audience applauded. The moderator cut him off.

Incident Two — approximately 3:05 into the recording. Twenty minutes later, Osborne was speaking about voter registration in Kansas City's urban core. A heckler began shouting at him from the audience. The moderator then addressed Osborne directly from the chair, accused him of disrespect, and said the campaign had been "accommodated" onto the panel after missing a deadline. Osborne was not given the microphone to respond. He sat in silence for the remainder of the panel.

Statement from Holmes Osborne

"I was answering a question I was asked — about how young people make a difference in politics. My answer was: look at Independence. Young people organized against a deal rammed down their throats, ousted two councilmen, and are going after a third. The moderator cut me off. Twenty minutes later I was attacked and silenced again. I am not alleging a conspiracy. I am reading the public record — and asking why the one candidate demanding accountability keeps getting shut down in every room connected to the same deals."

— Holmes Osborne, Candidate for Jackson County Executive

Video Record

Watch the clip — Urban Summit, June 6, 2026 · Timestamps 2:42–2:44

Urban Summit Conference — full recording Uploaded by Urban Summit KCMO / Urban Summit Tech (the Urban Summit's own recording). youtube.com/watch?v=S4ZiNfPeRw0

Incident One — approx. 2:42:00 Osborne answers the youth engagement question, cites Nebius / Independence, audience applauds, moderator cuts him off.

Incident Two — approx. 3:05:00 – 3:07:00 Osborne addressed from the chair, accused of disrespect, never permitted to respond.

Public Record — Key Facts

The Nebius AI data center is a proposed $6.26 billion in tax breaks over 20 years for a 2.1 million square foot facility in Independence, drawing 800 megawatts of power — enough to generate electricity for roughly 400,000 Independence homes for a year (per the City of Independence).
The Independence City Council approved the project 5–2.
Young people in Independence have already organized against the deal — successfully ousting two councilmen, with a third recall underway.
Holmes Osborne is the only candidate in the Jackson County Executive race publicly calling for independent transparency on the Nebius deal, alongside accountability on the stadium TIF negotiations and a forensic audit of the 2023 property assessment process.

Download Full Press Release (PDF) Press Contact

Coverage

Press Coverage

Independent coverage of the campaign will be linked here as it publishes.

Coverage will appear here. Reporters covering this story — or seeking comment from the campaign — can reach Chris Jeter directly via the press contact below.