Ferguson has mostly abandoned the practice of sending out advisories, letting the press know where he will be and when
Bill Lucia
Washington State Standard
With most jobs, you have to give your boss an idea of where you are and what you are doing during the workday. Gov. Bob Ferguson, who works for the people of Washington state, has not been doing this consistently during his first seven months in office.
Ferguson has mostly abandoned the practice of sending out advisories, letting the press know where he will be and when. The rare calendar updates that do go out are typically incomplete and sometimes arrive after the fact.
Take, for example, the advisory his office sent for “the week of July 14-20.” It landed in our inboxes around 1 p.m. on Monday, July 14, and contained information about the governor’s schedule for one day: Monday, July 14, “Orcas Island Day.”
The governor was scheduled to attend four meetings and events on the island between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. By the time we received the advisory, start times for three of the four had passed.
Most weeks this summer, the press has received no calendar updates at all.
This was the case last week, when Ferguson attended the Washington State Labor Council convention in Vancouver. His office did not send notice that he’d be there. We learned from the Labor Council that he’d be making remarks on the main stage.
A schedule for the governor we later obtained through a public records request showed he also met with union officials representing machinists, Teamsters and electrical workers.
That schedule also included meetings last week with the Quileute and Quinault tribal councils. He posted on social media about attending the opening of a new Quinault Indian Nation building that received funding from the state’s Climate Commitment Act.
Why does this matter? Washingtonians pay Ferguson’s $218,744 a year salary. It’s not unreasonable to think they should have some window into what he’s doing during the week — the events he’s turning out for, who he’s meeting with. It’s a reflection of his priorities.
The handful of public appearances Ferguson has given notice about since the legislative session, and its subsequent flurry of bill signings, wrapped up have often focused on criticizing the president or congressional Republicans.
We’ve covered these events. But the governor’s responsibilities extend beyond reacting to federal policy.
Even the basics of his whereabouts are often a mystery. Is he working at his office at the Capitol in Olympia, or spending most of his time in Seattle? Has he traveled out of state, leaving the lieutenant governor in charge for a day or two? Much of the time, it’s difficult to know.
This is why, going forward, we’ll include a new section in our Saturday newsletter, called “Where’s the governor?” Our goal is to recap some of what we do know each week about what Ferguson has been up to. (You can subscribe to our newsletter here.)
If Ferguson resumes sending out weekly calendars and more frequent advisories about where he will be and when, we’ll distill highlights. If his lack of transparency continues, we’ll keep doing our best to piece together how he’s spending his time.
This report was first published by the Washington State Standard.
Also read:
- C-TRAN board increases salary for CEO Leann Caver
C-TRAN CEO Leann Caver received a 2.5 percent raise as the board recognized her leadership and celebrated rising ridership numbers after years of recovery. - Opinion: The income tax passed the House – what’s next?
Washington House approved a new tax despite bipartisan opposition; business leaders and residents signal economic impact and looming legal fights. - WA Senate Republicans unable to stop income tax bill now headed to governor’s desk
Washington lawmakers narrowly approved a new income tax on households earning over $1 million, setting the stage for court battles and a statewide initiative campaign. - 17th District lawmakers Kevin Waters and David Stuebe decry passage of state income tax bill after marathon floor debate
Reps. Kevin Waters and David Stuebe condemn Senate Bill 6346, warning the new state income tax sends more money into the general fund without real reform, risks expanding to every family, and ignores Washington’s affordability crisis. - Opinion: Washington’s fight for liberty
Conservative columnist Nancy Churchill argues that despite the passage of a new 9.9% state income tax, signs of shifting political momentum in Washington state give reason for hope and continued action.
