Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson is on the hook for a $4,000 ethics penalty after admitting he broke state rules by letting a former top aide hitch a ride on a Washington State Patrol aircraft to the Tri-Cities last summer. The deal settles a complaint that the flight handed a non-employee a special privilege, with part of the fine kept in reserve as long as Ferguson steers clear of future violations.
Settlement terms
Under a stipulated agreement approved by the Executive Ethics Board, Ferguson must pay $2,000 within 45 days, while the remaining $2,000 is suspended if he avoids any additional ethics violations for two years, according to Axios. The settlement notes that Ferguson acknowledged allowing his former aide on the plane "was a mistake" and pledged it would not happen again.
The Tri-Cities trip
The flight at the center of the case dates back to June 2025, when Mike Webb, Ferguson’s former chief strategy officer, boarded the governor’s state-patrol aircraft for a trip to the Tri-Cities. Webb traveled with Ferguson to a meeting with union officials and also held his own meeting that same day, according to reporting by KIRO 7. By that point, Webb had already resigned from state service in March 2025 amid allegations about his workplace conduct and was working for the law firm Singleton Schreiber, the settlement states.
Board finding and complaint
Staff for the Executive Ethics Board had previously concluded there was "reasonable cause" to believe Ferguson gave Webb a special privilege by allowing him to travel on the State Patrol aircraft, according to The Spokesman-Review. The complaint that triggered the review came from a private citizen who said they learned about the flight through media coverage. Audio later leaked to reporters captures Ferguson apologizing to his staff and describing the choice to allow the ride as a "pretty stupid" decision.
What the law says
Washington’s Ethics in Public Service Act bars state officers from using public office to secure special privileges or from using state resources for private gain, as spelled out in RCW 42.52. The Executive Ethics Board’s past enforcement decisions and its published results show similar civil penalties and suspended amounts in comparable cases, offering context for the $4,000 settlement here, according to the Executive Ethics Board.
What comes next
The board’s approval of the agreement effectively closes this enforcement case, unless new allegations surface or the board chooses to revisit the matter. Ferguson’s office did not immediately provide any additional comment, and earlier coverage reported that Webb did not respond to requests for comment. The board signed off on the settlement at its May 8 meeting, according to local coverage by KIRO 7.
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