Following is the statement of Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate following the release by the administration of Scott Walker of data in violation of the *Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002:
“Falling in the polls, prosecutors at his door and with a record of job loss, Scott Walker took the desperate act today of violating the law to prop up his record of failure. Rules and laws are what bind most people, but for a man with his own criminal defense fund, they don’t appear to bind Scott Walker. Scott Walker must explain to the public why he chose to break the law for political purposes in the release of this data, just as he must explain his connection to all illegal acts now under investigation.”
*The Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 protects the privacy of data provided to the federal government for statistical purposes. Violating it carries a fine of up to $250,000, up to five years in prison, or both. A BLS Commissioner’s Order from 2006 (No. 01-06) says “confidential information includes … pre-release economic data” and “embargoed data,” including “the Employment Situation” — that is, the monthly employment reports issued by BLS and state employment agencies.
