Wisconsin's Governor Jim Doyle has been under assault on the airwaves from his challenger, Congressman Mark Green.  Unfortunately Green has been less than honest in his ad portrayal and Team Doyle is striking back with a fact check.

But what is really ironic is that Green is trying to tie Doyle to a scandal the Guv has already been cleared of wrongdoing in when Green has nearly a half million in dirty campaign cash from sources like the indicted Tom Delay and the convicted Jack Abramoff.

What's wrong with this picture?  Why is Green getting even a column inch of focus on these bogus claims against Doyle?  This is a question our news media should answer but instead, the mainstream media chooses to hound on Doyle.

As more and more people turn to blogs for commentary and insight, it's important to provide the other side of the issue.  Since the corporate media is already busy laying out a bogus case against Doyle, it falls to us to provide balance.

This from Team Doyle:

GREEN AD FACT CHECK

Green ad:  “Wisconsin’s taxes are some of the highest in the country.”

Truth:  Wisconsin’s total state tax burden has gone down under Governor Doyle. [Source: U.S. Census Bureau]

And Wisconsin’s state and local tax burden was higher every year Congressman Green was in the state Assembly than in any Governor Doyle budget year.  [Source: The Tax Foundation]

Green ad: “Driving good jobs away.”

Truth:  Jobs are up 170,000 since Governor Doyle took office.  [Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics]

Green ad:  “As illegal aliens stream in he actually wants to give them welfare…”

Truth:  Illegal immigrants are not eligible for welfare in Wisconsin.  And as Governor Doyle has made clear, “we should make sure that illegal immigrants do not illegally gain access to these services.”  [Source: Governor Doyle Press Release, 5/26/06]

Green ad:  “…and subsidized home loans.  And you pay the bill.”

Truth:  Governor Doyle signed a bill that outlawed this practice.  [Source: Assembly Bill 593, 12/21/05]

While many banks use the federally issued ITIN numbers to issue home mortgages, the State of Wisconsin does not – because of the law Governor Doyle signed.

Green ad: “Doyle even wants to give illegal aliens in-state tuition breaks…”

Truth:  Governor Doyle supports a provision similar to what nine other states have, which allows undocumented students to receive in-state tuition, but only if:

1) They are on the path to citizenship, are applying for legal residence status, and are on file with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and

2) They have lived in Wisconsin for at least three years, and

3) They graduate from a Wisconsin high school

Green ad: “… at the UW while Wisconsin students are being turned away.”

Truth:  Enrollment of Wisconsin residents at UW-Madison has increased since Governor Doyle has been in office.  UW-Milwaukee increased Wisconsin residents by 1,000 between the 2002-03 and 2005-06 school years.  Enrollment of Wisconsin residents is also up at UW Comprehensives.  [Source:  University of Wisconsin System Student Statistics, New Freshman Headcount, Fall 2005-06 data]  

Green ad: “Mark Green won’t reward illegal behavior.” 

Truth: In fact, Congressman Green himself has broken the law.  The Dane County Circuit Court, the Department of Justice, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, and the State Elections Board have all found that Green violated the law when he transferred nearly $468,000 in illegal contributions from his federal to his state campaign account.