By of the

Emphasizing his role as a job creator, Gov. Scott Walker praised Christopher Barber's moxie during the governor's annual "state of the state" speech.

Barber, 32, left the ranks of the unemployed to land a seasonal job as welder at Ariens Co. in Brillion in late 2012, eventually turning that into a full-time post, according to a press release from Walker's office. Newspapers around the state ran a photo of Barber giving a big wave to the crowd as he exited the Assembly podium to a round of applause during Walker's televised address.

"These are the faces of an improving economy in our state," Walker said Wednesday of Barber and others. "Wisconsin is going back to work."

But there is a reason that Barber -- a resident of Two Rivers -- has had trouble finding steady work in the past.

Records show that he is a registered sex offender with two felonies and three drunken-driving offenses. Because of his checkered past, Barber has been in and out of jail and prison for much of the past decade, with his probation having been revoked at least twice.

Tom Evenson, a spokesman for Walker, said the administration had contacted employers in the state to see if they could recommend workers hired since Walker took office in 2011 who would be interested in being mentioned in the annual speech.

Barber fit the bill.

"Obviously, if we had been aware of this individual's prior convictions, he would not have been invited to participate," Evenson said by email.

"It's customary for us to background all participants, which we did do with every other person mentioned in the speech," he continued."This individual was a very late addition and was recommended by a reputable employer in our state, who typically perform their own background checks, so a check was not done internally."

Speaking to reporters in Madison, Walker said Thursday that he had believed background checks had been conducted on all the workers at the speech and that it was “frustrating” to learn that hadn’t happened in this case.

The governor said he was trying to give an example of the thousands of workers hired in recent years rather than endorse the specific people who joined him on the podium.

“They did not do a full scale background check, which is why (he) slipped through," Walker said. "Obviously, we would never had this person up if that was the case."

Ann Stilp, head of corporate communications for Ariens, acknowledged Thursday that the Brillion-based company -- which makes snowblowers and riding mowers -- had suggested Barber.

"We recommended him based on his performance on the job since he has been employed with Ariens Company beginning December of 2012," Stilp said. "As part of recommending him for the speech, we did not know the details of his record."

Stilp said her company does ask applicants whether they are convicted felons. Due to the revelations about Barber, she said, Ariens is conducting an internal review into his hiring.

Ariens company officials have long been Walker backers.

The governor attended the company's 80th anniversary celebration in the fall, and he has received nearly 40 donations from Ariens employees, even though the total income has been a rather modest $4,625. In 2011, Walker appointed company CEO Dan Ariens to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. board, where he is now the vice chairman.

Barber could not be reached for comment.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke, a former executive with Trek Bicycle, said it was disappointing to have the welder on stage with the governor.

“I would make sure I’m vetting people I’m holding up as great examples of successes in Wisconsin,” she said in an interview. Burke is expected to face Walker in the November general election.

This is not the first time that it appears Walker's team has not fully vetted those tied to him.

Late last year, he fired Taylor Palmisano, his campaign's deputy finance director, after No Quarter turned up tweets she had posted two years earlier that were demeaning to Hispanics. In May 2013, Nicole Tieman resigned without explanation as Walker's campaign spokeswoman. No Quarter later reported that she was serving a 20-day sentence in jail after her second drunken-driving conviction.

Records show that Barber, who grew up in Marinette, was convicted of one felony count of forgery in 1999 and sentenced to one year in jail and five years' probation. His probation was later revoked.

In 2005, he pleaded no contest to third-degree sexual assault as part of a deal in which prosecutors agreed to drop two drug charges. The judge sentenced Barber to three years in state prison, with an additional five years of extended supervision. Again, his probation was later revoked.

In addition, he was convicted of a misdemeanor battery count in 2009, and he has a handful of criminal traffic offenses, including three drunken-driving convictions, the most recent three years ago.

It's clear that Barber isn't very active politically.

In 2012, he did post this on Facebook: "Thank God for paychecks and tax exemptions. Scott Walker for President lol."

But that was soon followed by this remark: "I've never voted once in my life and never will. Why bother?"

State records show Barber has not registered to vote in Wisconsin.

Photo by M. P. King / Wisconsin State Journal