Politicians Finally Ask For Gasoline Price Gouging and Profiteering Probe
Washington DC April 24, 2006; Mark Preston writing for CNN reported that Congressional GOP leaders on Monday formally called on President Bush to launch an investigation into possible price gouging by oil companies, after gas prices shot up nearly 25 cents a gallon in two weeks.
"Anyone who is trying to take advantage of this situation while American families are forced into making tough choices over whether to fill up their cars or severely cut back their budgets should be investigated and prosecuted," House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tennessee, wrote in a letter to President Bush.
"Therefore, we believe that federal law enforcement agencies and regulators should take every available step to ensure that all federal laws protecting American consumers from price-fixing, collusion, gouging and other anti-competitive practices are vigorously enforced."
Hastert and Frist asked Bush to direct the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to investigate the rising oil prices and also will request that certain areas be exempt from having to use a more expensive but cleaner blend of gasoline.
