Some wiseacre on Twitter asked Grok if Clayton Tucker’s non-stop promises to “break up the monopolies” were within his power as Ag Commissioner. The results were just as I have been saying since the start:
Grok was emphatic and unequivocal in its answer:
Of course, I have been saying this since the very first time Clayton opened his lying commie mouth about it nine months ago. It’s pretty clear-cut and obvious. Even to Grok.
If he REALLY wanted to “bust monopolies” he would need to go to law school, pass the bar and then run for attorney general of Texas and win (HAHA!). Seeing as how he hasn’t even managed to move out of his parents’ house by age 35, that is simply never going to happen.
Plus it’s a lot easier to be a fake rancher than a fake lawyer. Being a fake lawyer can get you into serious legal trouble.
But Clayton is a compulsive liar who cares more about grifting old ladies by selling clichéd bumper-sticker slogans than sticking to the ACTUAL duties of Ag Commissioner.
Hey! Let’s see what Grok says about Ag Commissioner’s ability to have ANY say at all about data center water usage!
The answer?
No, the Texas Agriculture Commissioner does not have the authority to directly stop data centers from using water.
The role of the Texas Agriculture Commissioner primarily involves promoting agriculture, overseeing programs related to farming, ranching, food safety, and rural issues. It does not include regulatory power over water allocation, usage permits, or restrictions on non-agricultural industries like data centers.Water regulation in Texas is handled by other entities:
- Groundwater (which many data centers use, especially in rural areas) is managed locally by Groundwater Conservation Districts (GCDs), with oversight from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB).
- Surface water is regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
- Broader planning and data collection on large users like data centers fall under the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) (for surveys on water and energy use) and TWDB for state water planning.
In short, while the commissioner can raise alarms, push for policy changes, and investigate specific cases (e.g., ag impacts), he cannot independently stop or restrict data centers’ water consumption. Any binding limits would require new laws from the Texas Legislature or actions by water/ utility regulators.
Well damn! There you have it: Comrade Clayton’s TWO BIG ISSUES (bust monopolies! Stop data center water usage!) are 100%, unquestionably and completely NOT within his power to affect AT ALL.
He knows this, too, of course. He chooses to ignore it and keep lying to the old ladies. Pathetic.