Toy Pig in Hand, LePage Vows to Veto “Several Hundred” Budget Lines

The governor blasted lawmakers for negotiating behind close doors to give themselves gifts or insert money for their pet projects into the budget

Maine Gov. Paul LePage says he will veto "several hundred" items in the $6.7 billion state budget.

The Republican governor vowed to use his line-item veto power to strike out hundreds of items in the budget that lawmakers sent to his desk Wednesday to "waste a little bit of their time."

LePage's made the announcement at the Statehouse in front a Christmas tree decorated with ornaments that featured the faces of lawmakers. He blasted lawmakers for negotiating behind closed doors to give themselves gifts or insert money for their pet projects into the budget.

"I may not be very articulate, because I came from the streets," LePage said, as he pulled a toy pig from beneath the Christmas tree and squeezed it so that it made an oinking sound. "But this is really sad, because this is what goes on and has been going on for years. We need Mainers to understand that their government is corrupt and we need Mainers to demand better from us."

Lawmakers will have to take individual override votes on each budget line that's vetoed. LePage said lawmakers have been wasting his time for five months and now he intends to waste theirs.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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