The godmother
Greater Baton Rouge Business Report,
August 17, 2004 by John Hill
The Lafayette Mafia, as Capitol wags refer to the Blancophiles who keep coming to state government at the behest of Gov. Kathleen Blanco, has taken over the state department of economic development.
First came Michael Olivier, the New Iberia native who formerly ran the Lafayette economic development team before heading to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Blanco tapped him for the $250,000 post as the state's top job hunter, dismissing criticisms of his job performance in Mississippi as something that just happens when you spend your career in public life.
Second in command is Duane Blumberg, who was preparing to retire to Arizona in December from his job as vice president for research and graduate studies at University of Louisiana-Lafayette. He is not only a colleague of First Gentleman Raymond Blanco, ULL's vice president for student affairs, but also is a good friend of both Blancos.
One thing that has emerged from her appointments, slow as they have often been in coming
aka The Motherlode.
Graft.