Miscellaneous claims in the Scott Walker-Mary Burke race

For the past week we've taken a look, by topic, at some of the major claims that have been made in the campaign for governor.

We conclude with a roundup of claims made by and about Gov. Scott Walker and his Democratic challenger, Mary Burke, that don't fit neatly into a category.

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Six convictions are connected to an allegation by prosecutors "that Gov. Scott Walker is at the center of a criminal scheme."

-- Mary Burke on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014 in a campaign TV ad

False: Investigations have marked Walker’s four years in office. And the prosecution theory in one case has Walker at the center of campaign violations, as the ad notes. But no charges have been filed in that case, with a state judge throwing out subpoenas prosecutors requested. The probe has been stalled by various lawsuits. Burke’s ad compresses time and two separate investigations to suggest prosecutors have charged six people in a case in which they allege the governor is at the center of the misconduct.

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Mary Burke says she "supports Obamacare unequivocally and wants to expand it."

-- Scott Walker on Sept. 18, 2014 in a TV ad

Half True: Walker provided no evidence that Burke has expressed unequivocal support for the Affordable Care Act, and we are not aware of any. At the same time, Burke does back the law and she supports expanding it through making more people eligible for Medicaid.

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Scott Walker cut funding to local governments in Wisconsin, contributing to the "second-largest increase in violent crime" in the Midwest.  

-- Burke on Oct. 17,  2014 in a debate

Half True: Walker did significantly reduce general-purpose shared revenue, which local governments use to help pay for a variety of functions, including law enforcement. And the increase in Wisconsin’s 2012 violent crime compared to the previous two years was higher than all but one other Midwestern state. But Burke didn’t provide evidence that the shared revenue cuts significantly reduced funding for local law enforcement, nor evidence that funding reductions necessarily lead to an increase in violent crime.

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Under his leadership, more people in Wisconsin "have access to health care."

-- Walker on May 15, 2014 in an ad

Half True: Walker can take some of the credit, given that everyone living under the federal poverty line is now eligible for Medicaid. But far more people are getting access to health care, whether from the government or private carriers, as a result of Obamacare.

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Scott Walker is "forcing some women to undergo a transvaginal probe to get an abortion."  

-- EMILY's List in an Oct. 21, 2014 TV ad

Half True: The law Walker signed doesn’t mandate transvaginal ultrasounds, rather it says the woman seeking an abortion can choose either a transvaginal or transabdominal ultrasound. But medical professionals say that the new requirement, as a practical matter, means some women have to get a transvaginal ultrasound.

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"Under the administration of Gov. Scott Walker, northern Wisconsin’s mining economy is moving forward and more people are getting good, high-paying jobs."

-- Americans for Prosperity on Oct. 3, 2014 in a direct mail flier

Mostly False: The flier cites the bill aimed at the iron mine as its evidence. But that mine is far from being constructed or open. About "maybe 10" well-paid operating engineers have worked there. To be sure, there’s been a boom in the state’s sand mining industry. But that was not the subject of the statement.

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Also in this series: Higher education, business, income and wages, jobs, taxes and state budget and education.