Republicans Grill Energy Secretary Over Statements About Gas Prices

Chu was interviewed in September 2008 by the Wall Street Journal, which quoted from that interview the following December after Chu was named as a prospective energy secretary.

"Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe," the Journal reported Chu as saying. At the time, Chu was Director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California.

Rep. John Scalise of Louisiana read that quote to Chu and asked him, "Did you say that?"

Chu responded by trying to talk about administration policy, but Scalise interrupted immediately, "You said it or you didn't, it's been attributed, it's not the first time you've heard this, because many people have asked if it's been attributed to you, and many people have asked you about it, and I've heard you confirm that you said it."

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