Debate Darling Joe The Plumber Is An Illegal Worker

If you watched the Presidential debates last night–or at least the first part until passing out or changing the channel–you heard a lot about Joe the Plumber. That would be Joe Wurzelbacher, an Ohio manual laborist that Barack Obama met while stumping door-to-door in Ohio this past weekend. When Wurzelbacher actually challenged Obama on his tax plan instead of just shaking his hand, the exchange was caught on tape and aired all over the cable news channels. Well, the little bit of notoriety might be good for Joe’s love life, but bad for his sobriquet. That’s because a search for Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher’s work license in Ohio and Toledo and came up with… nothing. It turns out Joe the Plumber is illegally working on the pipes and toilets of the greater Toledo area.

Mr. Wurzelbacher told reporters Thursday morning that he worked for Newell Plumbing & Heating Co., a small local firm whose business addresses flow back to several residential homes, including one on Talmadge Road in Ottawa Hills.

According to Lucas County Building Inspection records, A. W. Newell Corp. does maintain a state plumbing license, and one with the City of Toledo, but would not be allowed to work in Lucas County outside of Toledo without a county license.

Mr. Wurzelbacher said he works under Al Newell’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 he’s not a plumber.

This was very, very troubling to Tom Joseph, “business manager for Local 50 of the United Association of Plumbers, Steamfitters, and Service Mechanics.” He’s aghast that Joe has been running around unclogging toilets and installing sink fixtures unauthorized.

“When you have guys going out there with no training whatsoever, it’s a little disreputable to start with,” Mr. Joseph said. “We’re the real Joe the Plumber… [t]his individual has got no schooling, no licenses, he’s never been to a training program, union or non-union, in the United States of America,” Mr. Joseph said.

Joseph also said the Local 50 of the United Association of Plumbers, Steamfitters, and Service Mechanics is supporting Barack Obama for President of the United States, but we’re pretty sure that had nothing to do with calling ol’ Joe out there for his illegal activity.
Stumble It!
‘Joe the plumber’ isn’t licensed [Toledo Blade]
Image [Toledo Blade]