Iowa’s Attorney General has launched a state investigation of high gasoline prices.Attorney General Tom Miller’s staff on Friday said state officials didn’t have the authority to “independently” investigate the petroleum industry and would merely help federal investigators gather evidence. In the past four days, however, Miller has been pressured by legislators, Governor Vilsack and the state Ag Secretary to launch an independent probe. Miller held a Monday afternoon news conference to announce his office would investigate.Miller says one target of the investigation will be pump prices for ethanol. He says they’re concerned that ethanol be treated fairly and not get an unfair representation that it costs more.Miller hopes to have a preliminary report ready by the end of July. He says prices may be caused by things outside the oil industry.But Miller says if oil companies are making excessive profits, Congress should act.
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