Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson says he didn't hold back his vote on health care legislation just to get more money for his state, "but to fix the unfunded Medicaid mandate for all states."
Nelson was answering criticism from California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who said concessions made to win the Democratic senator's crucial vote were a "rip-off" for California.
Nelson said in a statement issued Sunday that he agrees with Schwarzenegger that "all states should be relieved of this unfunded mandate."
But he took a shot at Schwarzenegger's state, saying more Medicaid money "isn't going to solve the $20 billion deficit California has today."
In an interview that aired Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," Schwarzenegger said giving extra Medicaid benefits to Nebraska to secure Nelson's vote was "like buying a vote."
In Sacramento, Schwarzenegger said, "it is illegal to do that."
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