Wilson Finally Comes Clean About Fictional Job Numbers
For Immediate Release September 29,2012
Contact: Matt Ross - 505 263 4879
Albuquerque, NM - For months, Heather Wilson has used fictional statistics to claim that the Keystone XL Pipeline would create jobs in New Mexico—a lie that the fact checkers at the Washington Post have said were false. Yesterday, Wilson finally reversed course, an acknowledgement that she’d been untruthful.
Asked yesterday during an interview with PBS, "Do you feel like the Keystone pipeline would bring jobs to New Mexico?” Wilson replied:
"No, it brings construction jobs to America. And...the estimates are about 20,000 jobs. Some people question those numbers. But it's gonna bring some jobs for the construction of it, for the opportunities in refining and so forth."
Until yesterday, Wilson has argued throughout the campaign that the pipeline would create 100,000 jobs. Even when Wilson has used a less outrageous claim, that 20,000 jobs would be created, the New Mexico Telegram said those numbers were “created out of mid-air.”
“Heather Wilson is finally coming clean about her fuzzy math on jobs,” said DPNM Chairman Javier Gonzales. “New Mexico voters have real concerns about where to find good, quality jobs. But Heather Wilson’s false claims don’t help anyone looking for a way to feed their family or send their children to college. New Mexicans expect honesty from their members of Congress, but Heather Wilson has shown that what she says just can’t be trusted.”
BACKGROUND
Wilson Claimed Keystone Would Create 100,000 Jobs. On Facebook on August, 10th, the Wilson campaign wrote of the Keystone Pipeline, “20,000 Construction Jobs, 100,000 Indirect Jobs.” In a July press release, the Wilson campaign wrote, “The Keystone Pipeline would create 20,000 jobs and an additional 100,000 indirect jobs in the United States.” [Facebook, 8/16/12; Wilson Press Release, 7/26/12]
Washington Post Gave the Exaggerated Keystone Job Estimates “Two Pinocchios.” In a December 14, 2011 article, the Washington Post highlighted the various jobs estimates and cited one misleading study which estimated jobs for a similar project: “Among the list of jobs that would be created: 51 dancers and choreographers, 138 dentists, 176 dental hygienists, 100 librarians, 510 bread bakers, 448 clergy, 154 stenographers, 865 hairdressers, 136 manicurists, 110 shampooers, 65 farmers, and (our favorite) 1,714 bartenders.” The Washington Post gave the Keystone job estimates “Two Pinocchios.” [Washington Post, 12/14/2011]
New Mexico Telegram Says 20,000 Jobs Number “Created Out of Mid-Air.” On August 21, 2012, the New Mexico Telegram looked into how many jobs the Keystone Pipeline would create and reported. “TransCanada has said in interviews and regulatory filings that the construction of the pipeline would require 13,000 “job years” — meaning 6,500 people working two years — plus create about 7,000 jobs among companies supplying pipe, valves, software, pumps and other goods needed during construction. Those figures fall far short of the figures often cited by House Republicans and an industry consulting firm in support of the project.” The Telegram went on to conclude, “In other words, the 20,000 jobs number was created out of mid-air by TransCanada to drum up support for the pipeline that would aid the company greatly.” [New Mexico Telegram, 8/21/2012]
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