Nixon discusses psychic, gasoline prices

State attorney general Jay Nixon suggested Friday that legal actions taken against a Florida psychic foretell the future of others who violate Missouri's limits on telemarketing.

"A lot of people watched the Miss Cleo case," said Nixon, speaking at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's monthly coffee gathering. "The results of the case show you can't violate the 'no-call' law in Missouri without repercussions."

Miss Cleo appears on nationally televized commercials promising insights into love, money and other personal matters. A Florida-based company that owns a television psychic hotline has been ordered to pay a $75,000 fine for violating Missouri's no-call law, Nixon said.

"They were calling young ladies and men over 40, offering Miss Cleo's psychic advice." Nixon said.

Nixon also discussed sporadic episodes of gasoline price gouging that followed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"We found instances of gas selling for $9.99 a cents a gallon," Nixon told Chamber members. "Some were selling it for $4.99 a gallon."

Nixon gave owners of gas stations that allegedly gouged customers following the terrorist attacks the choice of paying a minimum penalty of $1,000 or face a lawsuit and risk much larger fines.

Nixon said as many as 50 stations are believed to have sold fuel at inflated prices.

Only a small fraction of retailers improperly raised prices. There are more than 7,000 service stations in the state.

Nixon defined illegal price gouging under state regulations as "substantially raising prices in a time of crisis."

Nixon also praised the newfound national respect for law enforcement officials and firefighters.

"These groups fight for us every day and deserve our respect," he said.