Watchdog reporter
Dave Umhoefer is a reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Watchdog Team. He won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for local reporting for his investigation into pension padding by Milwaukee County officials. Umhoefer has covered governmental affairs in Milwaukee for 25 years as a reporter and editor. He is a La Crosse native and University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate.
The latest Truth-O-Meter items from Dave Umhoefer
A state report’s "projection is that approximately half of public employees" would live outside municipal boundaries in a decade if the state bans local residency requirements.
Says a state bill checks the spending habits of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors by "bringing it in line with other county boards around the state."
The Milwaukee County Board approved a reform package by a 15-3 vote, "meaning Board Supervisors’ salaries will be cut by 20 percent" and "the Board’s budget will be cut by 50 percent."
A recent study of a proposed cap-and-trade policy’s effect on Wisconsin consumers showed it could "raise gasoline prices by 141 percent and electricity rates by 171 percent" by 2030.
"Demand for public transportation is reaching record levels in Wisconsin."
"In 2012, 1 in 4 Wisconsin schools had a subpar score on the Department of Public Instruction’s recent report cards" and are "failing" the children they serve.
"The vast majority of our public school students are receiving less state support than their private voucher peers."
Says that even if his budget is adopted, private schools in the choice program would be getting about half the per-pupil funds that public schools receive
On recusing herself from cases after receiving a campaign contribution
On changing the rules governing judicial conflicts of interest
Recent stories from Dave Umhoefer
Public vs. Private: Sorting out the truth in the debate over school choiceWisconsin was a national pioneer in sending Milwaukee children to private schools with publicly funded vouchers. Now, with the Legislature debating Gov. Scott Walker's plan to expand choice to additional cities, we shed light on some of the key disputes over the choice program.
Top 10 fact-checks on gunsAs the U.S. Senate moves to take up gun legislation, we fact-check the most interesting and oft-repeated claims from both sides of the debate.
The Chief and The Sheriff: Two views of Milwaukee's homicide pictureMilwaukee saw an increase in homicide in 2012. But how does the city stack up to other communities? Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn and Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. offered starkly different answers in a recent 24-hour period. We dig into the numbers.
Are Sensenbrenner and Moore in agreement on Voting Rights Act?As the Supreme Court mulls over the fate of the Voting Rights Act, House Democrat Gwen Moore cites House Republican Jim Sensenbrenner's backing of the landmark law as she advocates for saving it. But do the pair really agree on what constitutes a threat to voting rights? We take a look.
Fact checking Gov. Scott Walker's budget address and Democratic attacksAfter -- even during -- Gov. Scott Walker's 2013 budget address, Democrats tried to poke holes in his rosy picture of the state's finances and economy. We get behind the back-and-forth by reviewing Truth-O-Meter rulings and other sources.
In context: Johnson's analysis of state's conflicting Senate votesPolitical observers on both sides puzzled over the fact Wisconsin elected Madison Democrat Tammy Baldwin to the U.S. Senate just two years after voting in conservative Republican Ron Johnson. Johnson's own take -- voters bought into demagoguery and misinformation from the left -- has generated some attention.
Reviewing the key claims in the U.S. Senate raceWe've tested dozens of statements by Republican Tommy Thompson and Democrat Tammy Baldwin in the race for an open U.S. Senate seat in Wisconsin. With the Nov. 6, 2012 election approaching, here's our guide to some of the key claims and how they fared on the Truth-O-Meter and Flip-O-Meter.
Tommy vs. Tammy III: Our US Senate debate roundupWith the election for a critical open U.S. Senate seat just over a week away, Republican Tommy Thompson and Democrat Tammy Baldwin squared off Oct. 26, 2012 in their final debate. Here's our roundup of repeat claims and how they fared on the Truth-O-Meter.
Twisting the truth on windmills, pensions and prostitutesBoth sides have used China as a villain in the 2012 campaign. We've put their claims to the Truth-O-Meter.
Tommy v. Tammy II: Senate debate roundupThe second U.S. Senate debate between Republican Tommy Thompson and Democrat Tammy Baldwin covered a lot of familiar ground on taxes, Medicare, health care, Iran and budget deficits as the race entered its final weeks. Here's a look at how the candidates fared on the Truth-O-Meter.
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