On Friday, Gov. Tim Pawlenty said there were no issues because he was in Washington when the General Assistance Medical Care measure hit his Minnesota desk.

"The bill came to my desk, I read it, addressed it, vetoed it the same day. So I'm not sure what delay or problem they think has occurred," Pawlenty told a Star Tribune reporter just after he finished a speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference.

"We have a Washington office. The bill was brought to me, I read it, I drafted and signed the veto letter, took care of all the business just the same as if I were in Minnesota," he said.

Eric Roper contributed to this report.