MERIDEN, CT (WFSB) -
Update: Dems accuse GOP lawmaker of vote-buying for gas
Connecticut Democrats have accused a Republican state lawmaker of vote-buying in a protest against rising gas prices.
A gas station in Meriden plans to sell gas for $1.84 per gallon on Thursday as part of a political event hosted by Americans for Prosperity.
The event will be held at Danby's Gulf Express on 872 East Main St. from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Organizers from the group said that pumps at the station will be rolled back to the rate gas was when President Barack Obama took office.
Customers can fill their tanks up to 15 gallons at the reduced rate.
About 150 tickets were handed out to customers around 11 a.m. and were gone even before the event started. Cars lined up on a side street in the area and started pumping gas at 4 p.m.
The lines have created a traffic nightmare.
The tickets did cause some controversy with some customers who did not get them.
According to Consumer Reports, the national average for a gallon of regular gas in 2009 was $1.84. The state average of gas in Connecticut in 2009 was $1.89.
The highest price of gas ever in Connecticut was $4.39 in July of 2008 during the Bush administration.
The current price of gas in Connecticut is $4.06.
According to the political group, Republican State Sen. Len Suzio will attend the event. Suzio is running for re-election for the 13th District against Democrat Dante Bartolomeo.
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