Latham wants Energy Secretary to resign, Harkin wants investigation

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin says Congressional hearings are needed to set straight the skyrocketing prices being charged for gasoline. Harkin says oil company officials need to be put in a courtroom, put under oath, and posed direct questions about the record-high prices Americans are forced to pay.Harkin, a democrat, says a report today from the International Energy Agency clearly lays out how the U-S consumers are being fleeced by the oil companies. He says the report shows the supply of oil is greater than the demand and that normally means prices go down instead of up.Iowa Congressman Tom Latham, a republican, blames more than just the oil executives. He says U-S Energy Secretary Bill Richardson should also be the target of scorn. Latham is calling for Richardson to resign. He says it’s important to understand that Richardson and the administration have not done anything to increase oil supplies.In addition to being “asleep at the switch” and allowing gas prices to reach “outrageous” levels, Latham says Richardson has a “total disregard for security” with regards to U-S nuclear secrets. Latham says he got a personal promise from Richardson that there would not be any security lapses and that he would take an active role in the price increases of gasoline.Latham says it would be “very prudent” for Richardson to resign as he is “simply not competent.”