(KMJ) – As Californians continue to pay more than $6 for a gallon of gas and lawmakers in Sacramento remain deadlocked over how to provide relief, the state Assembly announces an investigation into oil companies they say are “abusing a historic situation to suck profits from Californians’ wallets.”
Monday, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon announced a bipartisan committee to investigate gas price gouging, with plans to question oil companies, regulators and economists to find out why California’s gas prices are consistently the highest in the country.
“We have put ourselves in a situation because of our addiction to the gas-powered engine. Yet that is no excuse for the actions of those who pin California drivers down with a foot on our necks and a hand in our pockets,” Rendon said.
Republicans blasted this new investigation and continue to blame Democrats for California’s record-high gas prices because they have refused to temporarily stop taxing gasoline as other states have done to control costs.
“Instead of suspending the state’s gas tax, Sacramento Democrats are creating a committee?” said Assembly member Vince Fong, the Republican vice chair of the Assembly Budget Committee. “Enough with the political antics. Suspend the gas tax now.”
