In a letter dated Wednesday, December 15, ten of the state’s Democratic Senators, led by Minority Leader Stephen Baldwin, asked West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey to investigate “rapidly rising gasoline prices”
The full letter reads:
“Dear Attorney General Morrisey,
Over the past three months, a number of our constituents reached out to inquire about rapidly rising gasoline prices. In response, we looked into recent historical gasoline prices as compared to the price of oil. What we found was troubling.
In 2008, crude oil reached a high of $145 per barrel when the average gasoline was around $3.27 per gallon. In 2011, crude oil reached a high of $113 per barrel when the average gasoline was around $3.53 per gallon. This year, crude oil was $67 per barrel while gasoline was around $3.29.
Something doesn’t add up. The price of oil isn’t driving gasoline prices, so what is? We call on you to use the power of your Consumer Protection Division to get to the bottom of this and protect the people of West Virginia from price gouging.
We request that you report the findings and conclusions of your investigation to the Legislature and the public.”
In addition to Sen. Baldwin, the letter was signed by Senators’ Beach, Brown, Caputo, Geffert, Jeffries, Lindsay, Plymale, Romano, and Stollings.
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