Top Gov. Ferguson aide resigns amid workplace complaints

OLYMPIA — A top aide to Gov. Bob Ferguson resigned Wednesday amid allegations he created a hostile workplace for some women in the office.

Mike Webb, the governor’s chief strategy officer and longtime key political adviser, resigned Wednesday, according to a letter released by the governor’s office.

“I deeply regret that the allegations of a hostile work environment have created an unhelpful distraction that impacts the team’s ability to do their work, as well as my ability to be effective in the near term. To be blunt, given the stakes of the work ahead, I cannot stomach that,” he wrote.

However, Webb defended his conduct, saying he’d never raised his voice or cursed in anger, and “made every effort to treat colleagues with civility and to live up to the high standard that you personally set.”

“That said, if I have ever fallen short of my best self in this fast-paced, high-stress environment, I apologize to you and the entire team.”

Webb’s departure follows the resignation of Ferguson’s legislative director, Joyce Bruce, who quit amid concerns about a toxic work environment fostered by Webb, according to state lawmakers and others.

Both Webb and Bruce worked for Ferguson in the attorney general’s office. The governor’s deputy legislative director, Shawn Lewis, also quit recently.

The exits by top staffers are a blow to Ferguson barely two months into his inaugural term and in the middle of a legislative session in which he and state lawmakers are wrangling with how to close a multibillion dollar budget shortfall.

Bruce has not spoken publicly about her treatment. Her resignation letter said she was leaving because it was in her “best professional and personal interest to step away.”

But some Democratic state lawmakers this week went public with what they said were complaints raised by women in the governor’s office about how they’d been treated by Webb.

Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma, told The Seattle Times earlier this week that she had approached the governor’s office recently after hearing “serious concerns” from gubernatial office and former campaign staffers about “a hostile and toxic workplace culture.”

Trudeau, who also worked for Ferguson in the attorney general’s office, met with Ferguson’s chief operations officer, Shane Esquibel, about the concerns.

State Sen. Mike Chapman, D-Port Angeles, also said in a recent statement he had heard from a governor’s office staffer about “bullying and erratic behavior” from Webb.

The governor’s office has said it had received no formal or informal human resources complaints about Webb and that no investigation had been launched into his conduct.

Asked about reports that women had expressed their concerns to the governor and a top adviser, Brionna Aho, a spokesperson for the governor, said in an email she generally doesn’t comment “on private conversations between staff.” She said the office continues to have “conversations within our team about our workplace.”

In a press briefing Wednesday, House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, said she was aware of issues in the governor’s office through media stories and added she wished Webb well.

Jinkins said “abrasive relationships” are “the word of the day” around the Capitol.

After Webb resigned, state Sen. T’wina Nobles, D-Tacoma posted on social media she was thinking about “everyone impacted by an abuse of power.” She added: “Know that you are so worthy. Continue to trust that little voice that says ‘This doesn’t feel right. This is not right.'”

Webb has long been a key political and policy adviser for Ferguson, having managed his first campaign for attorney general in 2012 and serving as his chief of staff in that office.

Ferguson, who had strongly defended Webb, thanked him in a statement Wednesday.

“As I have said, I wouldn’t be governor without Mike. My chief operations officer, Shane Esquibel, will serve as interim chief of staff while we re-evaluate our structure,” Ferguson said in the statement. “Going forward, in addition to doing the work of the state, we will work on our leadership structure and how we work as a team to serve the people of Washington.”

Seattle Times staff reporter Shauna Sowersby contributed to this report.