Who’s Really Behind ‘Industry Makes’?
A Closer Look at the PR Machine Pushing CCS in Louisiana
Louisiana residents — especially conservative landowners — are growing more vocal in questioning carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects. But instead of addressing those concerns directly, a slick public relations machine is working overtime to discredit anyone who pushes back.
At the center of that effort is a group called Industry Makes. On the surface, it sounds like a local grassroots coalition. In reality, it’s a professional campaign — built, funded, and coordinated by Louisiana’s largest industrial players.
Not a Citizens’ Movement — A Corporate Creation
Industry Makes was created around 2021–22 as a 501(c)(4) “social welfare” organization. But make no mistake — this was no grassroots uprising. It was launched by Louisiana’s largest industrial trade associations and corporations, including the Greater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance (GBRIA) and the Louisiana Chemical Association. Their goal? To present a unified pro-industry front and “counter misinformation” about chemical plants, pipelines, and now, CCS.
At the top of Industry Makes is Desiree Lemoine, a longtime lobbyist who now works for the Baton Rouge-based TJC Group. She once led communications for the Louisiana Chemical Association and has lobbied for looser carbon capture laws. Though she claims she’s not paid by Industry Makes, she’s a salaried employee of the TJC Group — the very firm coordinating the entire campaign. Whether it’s on the group’s payroll or her employer’s, she is being paid to shape public opinion in favor of CCS.
The board behind Industry Makes includes an ExxonMobil government affairs officer, a Formosa Plastics executive, and the president of GBRIA. In short, this group is designed and led by the same corporations pushing for CCS projects across the state.
Funded in the Dark
As a 501(c)(4), Industry Makes isn’t required to disclose its donors. But its connections are clear. The group was founded with direct support from GBRIA and other industry trade groups, and its leadership includes key corporate players in the chemical and oil sectors. The money might be hidden, but the influence is obvious.
Meanwhile, Industry Makes regularly accuses CCS critics of being backed by “radical” or “out-of-state” groups. Yet it’s funded by multinational corporations with far deeper pockets — and far less connection to Louisiana communities — than any nonprofit they attack.
Who’s Pulling the Strings?
At the center of all this is Tim Johnson, founder of the TJC Group. A longtime lobbyist and strategist for the oil and chemical industries, Johnson has made a career out of building “citizens” groups that just happen to align perfectly with corporate interests.
He’s listed on incorporation documents for other front groups, such as Louisiana Citizens for Our Future and MAGA Energy Project, Inc., which appeared in 2025 alongside messaging supporting CCS and pipeline projects. These efforts are often staffed with campaign operatives, industry allies, and — of course — backed by undisclosed corporate cash, aka DARK MONEY.
This is not grassroots. This is a paid strategy.
Attacking Locals Who Push Back
Industry Makes has gone after anyone who raises concerns about CCS — even conservative parish officials and landowners who would otherwise be considered allies on energy policy. Instead of listening, the group responds by accusing them of being misinformed or manipulated by the “radical left.”
One example: Industry Makes quoted Gov. Jeff Landry about being “hoodwinked by the radical left” and falsely applied it to CCS opponents — even though his original statement predated those groups and had nothing to do with CCS. It was a misleading attempt to frame critics as extremists.
So, Who Are the Real Outsiders?
The next time you hear someone calling CCS opponents “radicals” or “outsiders,” consider this: the people pushing back are often local, conservative landowners — the kind who usually support energy development. But when it comes to CCS, they’re the ones sounding the alarm.
And the people trying to silence them? Lobbyists. PR firms. Corporate executives.
Let’s be clear: Louisiana doesn’t need billion-dollar companies pretending to be citizens. What it needs is honest debate, transparency, and respect for the people who actually live here.
Organizations and Firms Behind the Smear Campaigns
- Industry Makes – The central group discussed and presented as a grassroots effort, but backed by industry.
- TJC Group – Baton Rouge-based lobbying and PR firm behind Industry Makes and similar efforts.
- Greater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance (GBRIA) – Trade group that helped launch Industry Makes.
- Louisiana Chemical Association – Trade group connected to the creation of Industry Makes.
- ExxonMobil – Represented on the Industry Makes
- Formosa Plastics – Represented on the Industry Makes
- Louisiana Citizens for Our Future – Another industry-aligned nonprofit mentioned in connection with Tim Johnson.
- MAGA Energy Project, Inc. – Referenced as another pro-CCS group tied to the same network.
“The next time you read a news story or social media post about citizens standing up for their land, water, and constitutional rights — stop and ask: who’s really behind the message?
👉 COMING SOON: Dark Money in Louisiana Politics – Who’s Pulling the Strings and Who’s Getting Paid?
