Paul LePage said Indians, in particular, are “lovely people but you’ve got to have an interpreter.” | AP Paul LePage: Indian workers hardest to understand

Maine Gov. Paul LePage defended his opposition to a $12 minimum wage on Saturday, saying foreign workers that require “an interpreter” are taking restaurant jobs and difficult to understand.

LePage, speaking at the state party convention this weekend, said these workers propose language barriers, and Indians, in particular, are “lovely people but you’ve got to have an interpreter.”


He also described Indians as being “the worst ones” to understand, according to an AP report.

LePage and state Republicans have led an effort to raise the minimum wage to $10 by 2020, not $12.

LePage’s comments come several days after Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump donned a fake accent during a Delaware rally to impersonate an Indian call-center worker.

"I said to the person, 'Where are you from?' I wasn't really checking on my card. I was actually finding out if this was true. So I called up under the guise I'm checking on my card, said, 'Where are you from?' 'We are from India.' 'Oh, great. That's wonderful. Thank you very much,'" Trump said while speaking in a foreign-sounding accent.