About halfway through the 30-second video two arms reach out to shake hands.

The words “Secret Deals” appear on the screen,

Of all the powerful phrases packed into Democratic Lackawanna County Commissioner Bill Gaughan’s “urgent” call to action against the expanding data center invasion, suspicion about secret deals is the most troubling.

And the most dangerous.

What are the names of the dark money shadow people behind massive amounts of cold-hearted cash required to build the 50-plus data centers planned for Lackawanna County? Who will benefit most from these shady agreements? What unethical deals behind closed doors will enrich political and business players in these immoral transactions that imperil the people and the land?

We the people will pay data center costs in more ways than one. Suffering vile consequences, we’ll also never see behind the scenes as unknown campaign donors make promises to political candidates and vice versa.

Don’t expect most elected and appointed officials or their minions to tell the truth about secret pacts to plunder our future for their own benefit, wink-and-nod negotiations that exclude public scrutiny and clear the way for bigger and worse poisonous data centers. Mostly, don’t expect these bait-and-hook wheeler-dealers to play fair, some going so far as to break the law.

Northeastern Pennsylvania’s political reputation deservedly remains one of crime and corruption. No matter how many former Lackawanna County elected officials have walked free from federal prison, we have no reason to believe our system of crooked government has changed for the better.

Gutsy Lackawanna County Commissioner Bill Gaughan thrives as the only state, county or local NEPA elected official who stands apart from the double-talking, double-dealing status quo money men and women willing to sell out the people.

Gaughan has launched an aggressive public campaign against data centers. The Scranton Democratic leader doesn’t just want to regulate these dangerous AI factories in Archbald and elsewhere, he wants to stop them.

Democratic and independent voters must pressure Gaughan’s Democratic colleagues to join his courageous fight. All voters of conscience must lean on these arrogant public servants to stand with right-minded constituents they are well paid to represent, hardworking people who deserve all the help they can get to prevent punishment by rogue politicians and data center predators.

That means browbeating cagey Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, continuing to connect duplicitous dots to wily State Sen. Marty Flynn, sly State Rep. Kyle Mullins, sneaky State Rep. Kyle Donahue, timid Lackawanna County Commissioner company man Tom Welby, crafty congressional candidate and Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti and any other turncoat who works against the best interests of the public good.

Money and power matter most to these slick quislings. Condescending collaborators all, these spineless elected leeches have shown no trace of a democratic backbone. Turncoats together, they have exploited public service. The fat cat luxury of their disservice is more appealing to them than the privilege of holding office.

Democratic and independent voters must challenge each of these candidates in every election in which he or she runs. Protest at Shapiro’s offices. Disrupt Flynn’s life at home. Stand outside the private gated community where Cognetti vacations at her family ski chalet. Embarrass them. Make them uncomfortable. Show them the dirty errors of their evil ways.

Gutsy Gaughan has incited a movement.

Some fights are just worth fighting.