Key facts
- The Justice Department and FTC are asking state attorneys general to join an investigation.
- The investigation targets oil companies for alleged price gouging.
- President Trump ordered the probe.
- The probe is investigating a disconnect between falling crude oil prices and retail gasoline costs.
- The investigation aims to determine if oil companies engaged in illegal conduct.
The Justice Department (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have formally requested that state attorneys general join a federal investigation into oil companies. This probe, initiated by President Trump's order, centers on allegations of price gouging. The investigation is motivated by a perceived discrepancy between the declining prices of crude oil and the prices consumers are paying at the pump for gasoline. The goal is to determine if oil companies have engaged in illegal conduct that has inflated gasoline prices for consumers. The DOJ and FTC are seeking the cooperation of state-level law enforcement to broaden the scope and effectiveness of the investigation.