UpDate III: Joe the Plumber thinks Social Security is a joke.

It seems that Joe “the Plumber” Wurzelbacher is a registered Republican. Surprise! He voted in his first primary on March 4, 2008, registering as a Republican. In fact, the gang at DailyKos found that every single Wurzelbacher in the Milford and Cincinnati area contributes to the Republican Party.

UpDate IV: Joe “the Plumber” is no relation to Robert Wurzelbacher. No connection to the Keating 5 Scandal. Marty thought he might have had a connection there, but even Keith Olbermann on MSNBC said they were not related.

Update V: “Joe The Plumber” Part II – The Vetting Of Joe. Link to my new post. With all the latest updates. Including John McCain’s new Campaign Ad featuring “Joe the Plumber.” Latest Update about “Joe the Plumber” – from Bloomberg and more. (use my new post link)

This is what Marty Eisenstadt uncovered yesterday on his blog:

John McCain did great tonight in the debate. But every time John mentioned “Joe the Plumber,” some of us in the campaign banged our heads against the wall. If Steve Schmidt had any hair left, I hear he would have been pulling it out tonight. He reportedly screamed at John’s debate prep team tonight (out of earshot of reporters, of course). “You idiots – he’s related to Charles Keating… of the Keating Five scandal!” They thought they had a real live Joe Six-Pack who’s spurned Barack Obama’s tax plan. But what they forgot to do was check on Joe Wurzelbacher’s background. Turns out that Joe Wurzelbacher from the Toledo event is a close relative of Robert Wurzelbacher of Milford, Ohio. Who’s Robert Wurzelbacher? Only Charles Keating’s son-in-law and the former senior vice president of American Continental, the parent company of the infamous Lincoln Savings and Loan. The now retired elder Wurzelbacher is also a major contributor to Republican causes giving well over $10,000 in the last few years.

Over at The Jed Report, he feels the same way I do about “Joe the Plumber”, but he found some interesting facts out also.

Yes, his taxes would go down under Obama. (He makes less than $250k.) No, his taxes would not go up under Obama. (The cost of the firm he’s seeking to buy is $250K, not it’s annual revenues. Nobody earning less than $250K will have their taxes hiked.) His full legal name appears to be Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher. Also at his press conference he said that he was sad when he found out he was born in Toledo because it meant he was a “Yankee.” He also told Obama that he’d been a plumber for 15 years. He’s 34. He also says he has served in the military. So unless he was a military plumber, something doesn’t add up. He appears to have spent time as a resident of both Arizona and Alaska.

That is the latest scope about “Joe”. This is not working out for McCain, who was hoping he had a typical Joe “Six-Pack” that he could hold up to the media and say “I told you so.” Hopefully, this will be the last we hear about “Joe the Plumber” from Ohio.

Update: from The Swamp – Joe owes back taxes in Ohio

Joe “The Plumber” Wurzelbacher is learning the downside of fame today. Here’s what Bloomberg News is reporting: Oct. 16 (Bloomberg) — “Joe the plumber,” the Toledo, Ohio, man whose complaints about Barack Obama’s tax plan were featured in the final presidential debate, owes the state of Ohio almost $1,200 in back income taxes. According to records on file with the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, the state filed a tax lien against Samuel J. Wurzelbacher for $1,182.98 on Jan. 26, 2007, that is still active.



UpDate II: Joe not a licensed plumber – Politico

The Toledo Blade is reporting that Joe the Plumber is actually not licensed. But that, combined with his apparent tax lien, isn’t lessening McCain’s ardor. He said in an interview with Fox’s Carl Cameron today that he hoped to hook up with the instantly famous Ohioan soon. “I’m probably going to call him this morning,” McCain said. “I thought he would probably be up late. I heard that his – that his phone lines were pretty well flooded. But I think we’re going to be spending some time together.”

(H/T to Shayne at TheZoo)