Joe the Plumber

Remember Joe the plumber from last night's debate? ABC News did a little investigating, and found a couple of interesting things about him. Like:

Ironically, the plumber currently has an income level that would make him eligible for Obama's proposed tax cut rather than the tax increase.

"Ironically"? What's ironic about it? Do people expect plumbers to make more than 250k/year? Or is it that people expect John McCain not to lie?

Also:

"There is a judgment lien against him for nonpayment of income tax," Barb Losie, deputy clerk of the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, told ABCNews.com. "The state files hundreds of liens a day. It means he owes that money."

Losie said Wurzelbacher owes $1,182 from January 2007, but no action has been taken against him outside of filing the lien.

In other words, even if Joe DID make over 250k/year, it doesn't necessarily mean he'd pay his taxes!

You don't suppose Joe the plumber is related to this other Wurzelbacher, who just happens to be the son-in-law of Charles Keating, do you?

A son-in-law of the former head of Lincoln Savings, Charles H. Keating Jr., must surrender next year to begin a 40-month prison sentence.

United States District Judge Mariana R. Pfaelzer imposed the sentence last week on the son-in-law, Robert M. Wurzelbacher Jr., who had pleaded guilty to three counts of misapplying $14 million from Lincoln, an Irvine, Calif., savings association.

Turns out the two Wurzelbachers are not actually related, I hear. What an odd coincidence.

By the way -- what is it with Republicans and 'plumbers', anyway?