California Governor Gavin Newsom has directed the California Energy Commission to look into possible irregularities in the state’s gas prices, which have recently soared above $4 per gallon.

“Independent analysis suggests that an unaccounted-for price differential exists in California’s gas prices and that this price differential may stem in part from inappropriate industry practices,” Newsom wrote in a letter to the commission on Monday.

“If there is gouging here, that would be wrong. The government of California wants to be the only entity that is gouging drivers here.”

Newsom asked the commission to provide a preliminary analysis by May 15 and just bill the state treasury, which is billions of dollars in debt. The commission announced it would start the probe immediately.

People around the country are paying as little as $2 per gallon but in the Soviet Socialist Republic of California, it’s not unheard of for someone to need to sell their spleen on the black market in order to fill up their tank.

First year economics students at UC Irvine has an idea as to the price discrepancy.

“Well, like, we have, like, the highest gas taxes in the country, so, like, it makes sense that we would have the highest gas prices,” Trina Wilkins said.

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