From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

Midwest Oil fined for selling gas too cheaply

Kevin Murphy, deputy commissioner of the [Minnesota Commerce] department, called the violations "willful, continuing, and egregious and warrant a substantial penalty."

Midwest Oil is being fined $140,000 for selling gasoline below the legal minimum price for 293 days during 2005. The minimum price legislation is packaged as a means to protect the small gas station that cannot "cushion below-cost gasoline with sales of other merchandise." How do such irrational market interventions survive?