Jindal plays down embarrassing recall petition against him

8220;I still think the pay is excessive. We still actually have over a week before that law goes into effect8230;. and there is still time to stop them. We still have a week. And we still have many options to make sure that we don8217;t see legislators take a pay raise,8221; Jindal said on CNN8217;s Late Edition on Sunday.

Jindal, who is the youngest governor to be elected to the post, has been against the idea doubling legislators salaries. But he baulked at the notion of vetoing the legislation leading to a campaign to recall him.

The petition against Jindal was filed last week by Ryan Fournier, a 32-year-old former Jindal supporter who 8220;feels that the Governor is going against all of the things that he said he stands for8221;.

Fournier, a registered Republican, said he felt a responsibility to take action as he did not understand if Jindal is 8220;against the raise, why won8217;t he veto it8221;. However, the process to recall Jindal within six months is considered 8220;tedious8221; and requires nearly one million signatures.

Fournier said he would stop the recall if Jindal vetoes the pay raise bill before it becomes law July 8.

Tempers have been rising in Louisiana ever since law makers during the recent legislative session raised their annual base salary from 16,800 to 37,500. Jindal pledged during his gubernatorial campaign last year to prohibit an immediate legislative pay raise.