As thunder rolled during a summer storm on Tuesday, July 12, residents gathered outside the county government center demanded Wheeler, the highest elected county official, resign from office or face a recall campaign. It's the second call for resignation in as many weeks for a member of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.
According to Wheeler's 2021 financial disclosure, the Chair listed a 300% increase in purchased stock compared to 2020 in nine data center firms. One of them, Blackstone, Inc., is pushing the Board of County Supervisors to rezone more than 800 acres next to the Manassas National Battlefield Park to build a data center campus.
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The recall press conference for Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair At-large Ann Wheeler will occur at 6:30 p.m. at the McCoart Government Administration Building, at 1 County Complex in Woodbridge, before the start of the Board's 7:30 p.m. meeting.
Wheeler is accused of using her position of power for financial gain when purchasing stocks in tech and data center firms looking to expand in the county. Data centers, or server farms that power the internet, have taken an interest in the county under Wheeler's leadership due to its relaxed policies, lower land cost, and access to fiber lines.
