Threatened with a recall effort stemming from a legislative pay raise, Louisiana House Speaker Jim Tucker said Wednesday he "will respect whatever Governor Jindal wants to do" as a deadline to veto the raise draws closer.

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Speaker of the House Jim Tucker

Tucker, a Jindal ally, has been a staunch defender of the raise and pushed for its passage on the House floor. Gov. Bobby Jindal has repeatedly said he opposes the raise but has also said he won't veto it for fear of jeopardizing his legislative agenda.

Jindal has until July 8 to veto the raise; otherwise it becomes law without his signature. He has been under intense pressure to veto the measure by editorial writers, conservative talk show hosts and on the Internet. Critics note his 2007 campaign literature saying he would "prohibit" legislative pay raises unless they are delayed until lawmakers' next term.

A petition seeking to force a recall against Tucker in his suburban New Orleans District was filed Wednesday, the fourth recall petition filed against a Louisiana lawmaker this week. Tucker did not return a phone request for an interview but issued a written statement in response to the petition.

In past interviews, Tucker has emphasized Jindal's pledge to let Senate Bill 672, which doubles lawmakers' base pay, become law. But in his brief Wednesday night statement, he states that the pay raise issue has overshadowed all other legislative accomplishements and adds:

"I will respect whatever Governor Jindal elects to do with Senate Bill 672 and remain committed to working with him to bring about the positive changes that all citizens of Louisiana deserve."

Recall petitions also have been filed against Reps. Steve Pugh of Ponchatoula, Franklin Foil of Baton Rouge and Joseph Lopinto of Metairie.

All four of the lawmakers targeted so far are Republicans.

Secretary of State Jay Dardenne's office began receiving telephone requests for recall forms last week after lawmakers gave final approval to a bill increasing their annual base pay from $16,800 to $37,500.

A spokesman for Dardenne said the office has sent out more than 30 requests for recall petition packets. There is no way of knowing how many will result in actual petition drives, or whether Jindal will be the subject of a recall effort, until the forms are filled out and turned in.

To force a recall election, a petition needs at least a third of a district's registered voters, gathered within 180 days of the filing of the petition. A recall election has never been called against a statewide or multiparish official.

A recall election against Jindal would require more than 900,000 signatures.

More than 10,000 signatures would be needed to force recall elections in the districts of Foil (where there are more than 32,500 registered voters) and Pugh (10,100). Lopinto's district has 23,620 registered voters, meaning the petition drive organizers would need more than 7,800 signatures. Tucker's opponents would need more than 7,700 signatures based on the 23,286 registered voter figure on the Secretary of State Web site.

John K. Roberts of Gretna, an unsuccessful candidate for state Senate last year, is listed as the chairman of the Tucker recall effort. He said he will release poll results Thursday indicating support for the effort.

Roberts said he will drop the petition against Tucker if Jindal vetoes the pay raise.

"I'm not completely opposed to any pay raise," Roberts said. But he said doubling the pay was excessive and that he opposed a provision granting automatic future raises tied to inflation.

Foil didn't back down in a statement issued Wednesday.

"While I respect the right of any citizen to bring this action. I would hope that the citizens of my district would consider my hard work on important issues such as health insurance coverage for autistic children and significant tax cuts," Foil said in a news release.

Pugh noted that lawmakers have been in session most of the last six months, including the regular session and two special sessions called by Jindal. He said popular legislation, including tax cuts for businesses and individuals and an ethics law overhaul is being overshadowed by the pay raise. Many people attending a luncheon speech he gave Wednesday in his district were more understanding after he explained his reasoning for the raise, he said.

But other lawmakers are having changes of heart. Rep. John LaBruzzo, R-Metairie, who voted for the raise, has released a letter he wrote to Jindal in which he urges a veto.

And state Rep. Frank Hoffman, R-West Monroe, sent a statement published recently in The (Monroe) News-Star in which he apologizes for his vote. "The timing was bad and the increase was too high," Hoffman said.

Several protesters upset with Jindal's refusal to veto the bill were on hand for a Jindal appearance in Shreveport on Tuesday. And opponents of the raise have scheduled a July 7 rally at the Capitol. Jindal has until July 8 to veto the raise.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)