Plumbing credentials
Regarding his statement to Barack Obama about intending to buy the plumbing firm that employed him, Wurzelbacher later said that the idea of buying the company was discussed during his job interview six years prior.
[8] According to
MSNBC and
Fox News, court records show that Wurzelbacher made $40,000 in 2006.
[18] Dun & Bradstreet's report estimated that A. W. Newell Corporation, the full corporate name, had $510,000 in annual sales and eight employees.
[72] As part of the background on McCain's use of "Joe the Plumber," several media outlets researched his professional plumbing credentials. One
Toledo Blade article stated,
"Mr. Wurzelbacher said he works under Al NewellÂ’s license, but according to Ohio building regulations, he must maintain his own license to do plumbing work. He is also not registered to operate as a plumber in Ohio, which means heÂ’s not a plumber." "Mr. Joseph [business manager of the local union] said Mr. Wurzelbacher could only legally work in the townships, but not in any municipality in Lucas County or elsewhere in the country."
[73] Wurzelbacher has since stated that he is no longer employed at Newell.
[4]