Gov. Bob Ferguson’s top advisor and closest political confidant resigned Wednesday amid complaints that he fomented a toxic workplace that contributed to the departure of another key administration official.
“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,” Mike Webb wrote in his resignation letter released by the governor’s office.
“To be blunt, given the stakes of the work ahead, I cannot stomach that,” he wrote.
Webb was Ferguson’s chief strategy officer and earned $230,000 a year. He previously served as chief of staff when Ferguson was attorney general. He served as a key advisor on Ferguson’s campaign for governor as well as his past campaigns for attorney general.
“Today, I accepted Mike Webb’s resignation,” Ferguson said in a statement. “As I have said, I wouldn’t be governor without Mike. 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.”
Ferguson told the Standard late Tuesday morning that he had not asked Webb to resign. Later in the day, the governor said he would “take any allegations against any member of my team extremely seriously, no matter how close that person is to me.”
Ferguson said Shane Esquibel, the chief operations officer, will serve as interim chief of staff while the governor re-evaluates his staff’s organizational structure.
Webb’s exit comes less than a week after Joyce Bruce resigned as Ferguson’s legislative director. Bruce had worked under Webb’s direction in the governor’s office, and previously in the same role in the Office of the Attorney General.
Last month, Bruce’s deputy Shawn Lewis also left the governor’s office.
Following Bruce’s departure two Democratic senators, Yasmin Trudeau and Mike Chapman, voiced concerns that Webb’s management style may have contributed to Bruce’s departure.
Webb, in his resignation letter, acknowledged the concerns.
“I know how important a collegial work environment is to you,” he wrote. “I am proud that in my twelve years of public service, I never raised my voice or cursed in anger, and I 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,” he wrote. “I am a work in progress and will continue working every day to grow.”
