Legal Commentary

Joe the Plumber's Story Falls Apart

By Jeralyn

As has been reported all day at blogs and news media sites, Joe the Plumber is not who he pretended to be. The Miami Herald has a good wrap-up.

Some of the early news:

Never served in the apprentice program or got a license, according to Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 50, in Toledo. Doesn't make anywhere near the $250,000 that would subject him to higher taxes under Obama's proposed tax plan.

Now, there's this: Tom Joseph, the business manager of the Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 50 union in Toledo, says:

Joe claimed on a social networking site to be a working union member and even used the pipefitters' insignia as a background. ''He's never been a member of the union,'' Joseph said.

More...

Turns out, Joe works for a small plumbing shop in Toledo that's on call for leaky pipes, running toilets and gas leaks; but without licensing, he's years away from owning his own business -- legally, at least.

In fact, Joseph said, Joe isn't even supposed to work as a plumber in Toledo or the surrounding suburbs because he's not licensed under any of the local codes. ''Unless he's way out in the boonies working on some farmer's leaky pipes, he's not allowed to do any plumbing,'' Joseph said.

Yesterday, Joe was being flown around the country to appear on tv shows. Today, he's got reporters camped out in his yard asking him when he's going to pay his back taxes.

The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry (UA.org) are angry over McCain's use of Joe the Plumber. In February, it was the first international union to endorse Sen. Barack Obama. You can view their videos and endorsement letter here.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on October 17, 2008 (boomark / email).