SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Illinois' attorney general has told gas stations who marked up their prices after Hurricane Katrina to donate to the Red Cross to avoid lawsuits.
Lisa Madigan's ultimatum went to 18 gas stations after consumers complained of a sudden increase in gas prices, her consumer protection chief, Deborah Hagen, told the Chicago Tribune. The 18 were selected based on a comparison of wholesale prices and their charges.
But William Fleischli of the Illinois Petroleum Marketers Association said the stations are being "picked on."
"How can they say we are deceiving the public or engaging in fraudulent behavior when we put the price on the street for everyone to see and comparatively shop?" he asked.
Tazewell County State's Attorney Stuart Umholtz, who plans to run against Madigan in November, was also critical, saying that she should have pursued legal action because "price gouging is a serious matter."
