AUGUSTA – Governor Paul R. LePage released the following statement Thursday morning after learning about Democratic leadership’s announcement to hold a news conference on tying welfare expansion to the hospital bill:

“It is disappointing the Democratic leadership is scheduling press conferences instead of scheduling a vote today on my plan to pay Maine's hospitals. There is no connection between paying an overdue bill left on my desk when I took office and increasing welfare.

“Maine people are tired of politics; they want results.

"We need to pay the old debt so Maine can afford to sell the other bonds to create jobs and grow Maine's economy.”