Gov. Bob Ferguson apologized to his staff last week for inviting former top aide Mike Webb on a state plane for a trip to the Tri-Cities that included official business and a political fundraiser.
In an unusual and at-times tense Zoom meeting on Thursday, Ferguson called the decision to bring Webb along for the June trip “pretty stupid, according to audio obtained by The Seattle Times.
Webb, the governor's former chief strategy officer and longtime political adviser, resigned in March amid allegations he created a hostile workplace environment for some women in the office. He denied the accusations but said he'd step aside to avoid being a distraction.
Webb's departure followed the earlier resignation of the governor's legislative director who quit over concerns about a toxic work environment, according to state lawmakers and others familiar with her departure.
The shake-up spotlighted unusual turmoil in the new governor's administration, but Ferguson has steadfastly defended Webb, sparking tensions that have resurfaced following the plane trip and a recent media report suggesting there had been previous concerns about Webb's conduct.
In the Zoom session, surreptitiously recorded and provided to The Times, some staff members expressed concerns to Ferguson and his chief of staff, Shane Esquibel, about Webb's continued close association with the governor.
State law requires consent from all parties if a call is being recorded. The Times granted anonymity to the source of the audio to protect them from retaliation.
One staffer said during the call that Webb's presence on the plane put employees in a difficult position, making it seem like Webb, who now works for a private law firm, continues to have the governor's "stamp of approval."
Ferguson responded by repeatedly saying that bringing Webb on the trip had been "stupid" and that he "wanted to apologize for it."
In an emailed statement, Ferguson said he invited Webb on the State Patrol-operated plane because "he told me he had a meeting of his own in the Tri-Cities."
“There was an extra seat on the plane and I offered it. In hindsight, I realized Mike’s presence on the plane may have given the wrong impression that he has a role in my administration. He does not. In short, I made a mistake, and it will not happen again," Ferguson said.
Since his resignation, Webb said he has been working as a "public policy director" with the law firm Singleton Schreiber. He is not an attorney and has not registered as a lobbyist. He described his new job in an interview as "business development," including potentially helping set up compensation funds for people harmed by wildfires in Washington and Oregon.
The handwritten flight manifest for the trip listed a “Matt Webb” in addition to Ferguson and a handful of other aides, according to a copy provided by the Washington State Patrol. Chris Loftis, a Patrol spokesperson, attributed the first-name mismatch to a secretary's "clerical error."
Webb said he sat during the short June 26 flight from Boeing Field to the Tri-Cities on a seat over the plane's toilet.
"The people on the flight, I have worked with all of them," Webb said. "They are all friends." He said he got "hugs from everyone" and no one told him they were uncomfortable.
Webb said he had a meeting in the Tri-Cities with leaders of a union representing Hanford workers as part of his new job. He said Ferguson stopped by to "say hi" to the union leaders, but did not stay for the meeting.
Webb said he also attended an official meeting Ferguson had with SEIU officials, and a political fundraising lunch for the governor, who has started raising money for his 2028 reelection campaign.
"I have 14 years of inside knowledge working with the governor and assisting him with his agenda," Webb said, saying "that was the capacity" in which he was there.
During the Tri-Cities visit, Ferguson met with health care industry leaders and held a news conference criticizing Medicaid cuts contained in the so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill" that has since been signed into law by President Donald Trump.
Loftis, the Patrol spokesperson, said people who are not employed by the state are allowed to travel on the state plane, known as King Air, "if there is a state business need for them to be transported." He said the Patrol defers to the governor's office on what qualifies as state business.
Ferguson's spokesperson, Brionna Aho, said the governor invited Webb to a coffee meeting in the Tri-Cities with Adam Glickman, secretary-treasurer of SEIU 775, the home health care workers union.
"He wasn’t advising or in an official capacity, but invited as someone who has historical knowledge of issues relevant to SEIU," she said in an email.
Webb said he'd be happy to reimburse the state for the cost of his travel to the Tri-Cities. He said he previously offered to do so but was told it wasn't allowed.
A "breach of trust"
The Thursday Zoom session was held after Axios Seattle reported last week that Webb had been accused of "pressuring or intimidating" two women while he worked in the attorney general's office.
One allegation about a 2013 personal encounter between Webb and a female staffer of a crime victim nonprofit surfaced during an audit of that nonprofit in 2019, the Axios article noted.
Ferguson's office told The Times in March there had been no formal or informal complaints leveled about Webb.
In the Zoom meeting, one Ferguson staffer questioned whether the governor's office had misled the public with such statements, calling them a "breach of trust."
Esquibel defended the statements, saying what was flagged for the attorney general's office years ago did not amount to an HR complaint.
Aho declined to discuss what was said on the Zoom call, saying in an email, "We generally do not comment on private conversations between staff."
Two state government employees familiar with the Zoom meeting said Ferguson's answers about Webb did not satisfy staff concerns. One said the governor appears to have "a massive blind spot" when it comes to Webb. The sources spoke to The Times on condition of anonymity due to fear of reprisal.
A longtime confidante
Webb has been a key political adviser and friend to Ferguson for years. He managed Ferguson's first campaign for attorney general in 2012 and served as Ferguson's chief of staff in that office.
His exit from the governor's office this year came after the high-profile resignation of Ferguson's legislative director, Joyce Bruce, who quit amid concerns about a toxic work environment, according to some state legislators and others familiar with her departure.
In an interview, Webb said the continued scrutiny of him has been "painful" and that he has retained an attorney to defend his reputation. He said he still speaks with Ferguson "occasionally" as a "sounding board" for ideas and the two talk as friends about their personal lives.
On Monday night, Webb's attorney, Samuel Daheim, sent a letter to The Times, warning that "we will be closely watching any coverage in the coming days and weeks to ensure that no further defamatory statements regarding Mr. Webb go unchecked."
Notwithstanding the dissatisfaction among some of his own staff, Ferguson has continuously defended Webb as a longtime confidante and friend.
“I wouldn’t be governor without Mike," Ferguson said in a statement when Webb resigned earlier this year. The governor said allegations that Webb had created a toxic workplace for some were, "to put it mildly, inconsistent with the person that I’ve worked with extremely closely and known personally for over a decade."
Ferguson told his staff during the recent Zoom call that he has not asked Webb to do any work on state policy or his legislative agenda. "It’s just not a part of our relationship now," he said.
As for Webb's involvement in his political campaign, Ferguson said such activity is "nominal" now, with a reelection campaign years away. He emphasized that none of his staff are obligated to meet with Webb in his new role.
Esquibel added: "He should never in any way represent that he is speaking on behalf of the governor … he is not authorized to do that." He thanked the staff who asked questions on the call, saying they could follow up with him or with Ferguson.
"The governor's door is open, he said.
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