Walker Won’t Comment On Whether Outsourcing Is Good Or Bad

Governor Has Attacked Burke For Heading Company That Outsourced Jobs

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Gov. Walker speaking to reporters earlier this summer. Photo: Shawn Johnson/WPR News.

Gov. Scott Walker has attacked Democrat Mary Burke for making money off a company that outsourced jobs, but he has refused to comment on the issue of outsourcing itself.

Walker has now run two ads attacking Burke’s family company, Trek Bicycles, for outsourcing jobs. The issue has even found its way into his stump speech.

Walker says it’s relevant because Burke is citing her time at Trek as the reason she should be governor. But when Walker was asked point blank whether outsourcing is a bad thing, he would not answer.

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“Again, we’re not making a point in this,” he said. “We haven’t made a point about the company nor about the subject matter itself. We’re just pointing out the facts, and you can’t have it both ways if you’re Mary Burke.”

Walker was also asked whether Trek Bicycles is a good business for Wisconsin and whether the company itself has a good record.

“Again, I’m not making a judgment one way or the other. I’ve made that repeatedly clear,” Walker said. “I’m not attacking the company, I’m not attacking companies like that. I’m just saying that if you’re going to look at someone’s record, you don’t get to pick and choose. You’ve got to look at everything about it.”

Earlier this week, Madison’s ABC affiliate WKOW-TV reported that Walker’s campaign had received nearly $69,000 from political action committees run by corporations that outsource to other countries. Asked about those contributions, Walker said that he wasn’t personally criticizing outsourcing, only pointing out Burke’s hypocrisy.