When Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker announced job growth of over 23,000 jobs in 2011, recall challenger Tom Barrett accused him of lying and "cooking the books."
The Ap reports that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has confirmed Walker's numbers.
Gov. Scott Walker's administration says the job-growth numbers he made public earlier than normal have been verified by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development spokesman John Dipko told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the BLS has confirmed Wisconsin jobs grew by 23,608 in 2011. Dipko provided the AP with an email from BLS confirming that the data had been verified, but the final jobs number was not included in that email.
Dipko says the number is based off the data that received the final BLS sign-off.
Walker says Barrett owes people an apology. The first one should go to Walker, but I doubt he is holding his breath waiting for Barrett to acknowledge that Walker was telling the truth and that Barrett was not.
Wisconsin's unemployment rate is 6.7%, well below the national average which rose back to 8.2% according to today's release from the Labor Department.
The recall election is set for Tuesday, June 5, 2012, where Scott Walker is leading Tom Barrett in the polls by an average 6.6 percent margin. NYT reports that some claim this recall election with be "held up as an omen for the presidential race in the fall."
[Update] The number to watch next Tuesday, isn't whether Walker wins or loses says Buzz Feed, but by how much Walker wins by.