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Gov. Must Sign Or Veto, Speaker Says

Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo is upping the ante on Gov. Deval Patrick, saying he must either sign a casino bill, veto it, or let it become law without his signature.

DeLeo, surrounded by dozens of members of the Massachusetts House, delivered an impassioned challenge to Patrick, who had left open the possibility of last-minute negotiations.

The House and Senate have already taken initial votes to accept a version of the bill which called for three casinos and two slot parlors to be bid on by the state's four racetracks.

Patrick says if lawmakers send him the bill with the two slot parlors, he will send it back to them with an amendment that would eliminate all the slot parlors, leaving the three casinos.

Patrick, who is opposed to slot parlors, has said he could accept one slot parlor, provided that it would be up for bid for any party, instead of limiting the licenses to the racetracks.

This program aired on July 31, 2010. The audio for this program is not available.

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