Gas-price surge strains oil-auto pact

The high price of gasoline and the growing call for congressional action are undermining the gentleman’s agreement under which the oil and auto lobbies do not attack each other.

The high price of gasoline and the growing call for congressional action are undermining the gentleman’s agreement under which the oil and auto lobbies do not attack each other.

Tyson Slocum, an energy specialist at Public Citizen, said the two lobbies have benefited from a “non-aggression pact.” But as pressure mounts on Capitol Hill against the oil industry, which has been reporting huge profits, the truce may be ending, Slocum said.

“The oil industry is feeling lots of pressure,” Slocum said. “They are not used to this. They want to break the d