Walker takes credit for Doyle Job Creation and doesn't mention Obama Stimulus Funding.

Forbes Magazines Rick Unger couldn't help chiming in on "Plagiarismado" blowing through Wisconsin. Whatever you call the following, Scott Walker got caught being the big hypocrite that he's always been for the last 3 and half years as governor. A while back he took credit for jobs created under former Gov. Jim Doyle.

Just amazing really. It would be a big story if it weren't for the fact that he's another Teflon Republican:

Plagiarism is defined as the “wrongful appropriation,” “close imitation,” or “purloining and publication” of another author’s ”language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions,” and the representation of them as one’s own original work.

With that in mind, welcome to this week’s episode in the stirring adventures of Scott Walker – the ‘truth challenged’ Governor of Wisconsin.

Today’s chapter involves the Curt Manufacturing Company, a large manufacturer of trailer hitches located near Eau Claire, Wisconsin where the Governor traveled last week – with news cameras and writers in tow – to make a big fuss about providing the funding that will create 125 new jobs at the company. In a news release, Walker said –

"This project directly creates 125 new jobs and indirectly creates 129 jobs, resulting in $12.6million in annual wages right here in Wisconsin. By providing these funds, we are bringing quality jobs to Wisconsin while improving road access to Curt Manufacturing’s expanded facility." Via Wisconsin Journal Sentinel

Way to go Governor! And by ‘Governor’, I am, of course, referring to Governor Jim Doyle, Walker’s Democratic predecessor who is the one actually responsible for arranging the funding that created the 125 jobs.

In a December, 2010 press release (prior to Walker taking office) the Wisconsin Department of Commerce in the Doyle Administration announced that they were awarding Curt Manufacturing the $400,000 in tax credits and $11 million in tax-free bonds that would create the 125 new jobs.

It gets better. Where do you imagine this funding came from? A transportation grant created in the dreaded Obama stimulus program-the very legislation Governor Walker never misses an opportunity to trash.

Here comes the bigger lie:

So confusing was the dog and pony show Walker created to take credit for someone else’s work, the media actually found themselves confused. Commerce Secretary Paul Jardin stepped into the breach (and said), “Generally, the press releases or press conferences are tied around when the company wants to do something. Obviously, they want to do it with a governor present. That’s probably what occurred here.”

Yes, that is probably what happened here. Or not – or at least not according to the president of Curt Manufacturing, Curt Tamborino. “Walker’s office had called and said they wanted to do this final presentation with a press release in front of the media.”

So, is it plagiarism when a governor takes direct credit for the work done by a previous administration – or just plain, old-fashion lying? I suppose it doesn’t matter.  A lie is a lie is a lie. What does matter is that Walker, and his clearly hapless administration, can’t seem to work out how to pull off a political lie without constantly getting caught red-handed.