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Gulf States Gumbo
Gulf States Gumbo

Did your elected official sign an NDA? If you live in Louisiana, the answer is yes

By Drew Hawkins
Published April 3, 2026 at 5:00 AM CDT
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An investigation by the Gulf States Newsroom’s Drew Hawkins found dozens of elected officials in Louisiana have signed nondisclosure agreements related to large-scale developments, including the Amazon data centers in northwest Louisiana and a Meta data center in northeast Louisiana. The announcement caught many by surprise, and critics say the agreements keep communities in the dark.
Illustration by Jay Marcano for the Gulf States Newsroom and Type Investigations; Photos by AP Photo
An investigation by the Gulf States Newsroom’s Drew Hawkins found dozens of elected officials in Louisiana have signed nondisclosure agreements related to large-scale developments, including the Amazon data centers in northwest Louisiana and a Meta data center in northeast Louisiana. The announcement caught many by surprise, and critics say the agreements keep communities in the dark.

On this week’s episode, we look at the legal agreements elected officials in Louisiana are signing to conceal large developments — like data centers.

Senior reporter Drew Hawkins takes us through his investigation, what he found and what it means for communities where large developments involving public money are planned without public knowledge.

This episode is hosted by Elise Catrion Gregg. The podcast is produced by Drew Hawkins, Matt Bloom, Elise Catrion Gregg, Orlando Flores Jr. and Ryan Vasquez. Nellie Beckett is our community engagement producer. Joseph King is our social producer. Our theme music is by DJ Supreme.

To get in touch with the team, email connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org.

And support our local station partners by donating to WWNO, WRKF, MPB, or WBHM.

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An investigation by the Gulf States Newsroom’s Drew Hawkins found dozens of elected officials in Louisiana have signed nondisclosure agreements related to large-scale developments, including the Amazon data centers in northwest Louisiana and a Meta data center in northeast Louisiana. The announcement caught many by surprise, and critics say the agreements keep communities in the dark.
Local & Regional News
'A muzzle on elected officials': NDAs 'cloak' Louisiana's biggest business developments
Drew Hawkins
Louisiana officials signed non-disclosure agreements as Amazon's $12 billion data centers unfolded in secret.

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Drew Hawkins
Drew Hawkins is the public health reporter for the Gulf States Newsroom. He covers stories related to health care access and outcomes across the region, with a focus on the social factors that drive disparities.
See stories by Drew Hawkins