The major business organization
in the state, Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, LABI, has formed
a new group focused on ending the moratorium on deep water drilling in the
Gulf. After 15,000 people attended an anti-moratorium rally in Lafayette on July 21, the group was formed to
raise money and lobby the Obama administration and members of Congress. While
the effort will be national in scope, much of the attention will be directed at
Capitol Hill. The group, Gulf Citizens United, hopes to raise $250,000 for the
advertising blitz. It has already started the first phase of the campaign, advertisements
in national political publications such as Roll Call and the Politico.
