With calls for a compromise growing louder, Gov. Scott Walker on Monday pointed to a series of secret meetings with Democrats and placed the blame for the continued stalemate over his budget repair bill squarely on the shoulders of Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller.

In his strongest comments to date on the issue, Walker took aim at the Monona Democrat, calling Miller the chief person "standing in the way" of a compromise and accusing him of taking orders from national labor organizations. Walker also questioned Miller's leadership of the 14 Senate Democrats, all believed to still be in Illinois in an effort to stop passage of the governor's bill.

"For the last several weeks, both Sen. Fitzgerald and my administration have been reaching out to reasonable senators — many of whom are very interested and willing to come back to the state of Wisconsin," Walker said at a news conference flanked by Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, and Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon. "And time and time again, the person standing in the way of making that possible is Sen. Mark Miller"

Miller did not return calls from the State Journal Monday, but several Democratic senators said they continue to support him as their leader.