Aide to Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson resigned amid toxic workplace complaints, lawmakers say

Jim Brunner, The Seattle Times on Mar 18, 2025

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SEATTLE — Gov. Bob Ferguson's legislative director resigned amid concerns about a toxic workplace allegedly fostered by a top gubernatorial aide, according to two Democratic state lawmakers who say they've heard such complaints.

Joyce Bruce, the governor's legislative director, resigned Friday. Her departure followed the earlier resignation of Shawn Lewis, the deputy legislative director — a shakeup that leaves the governor's office without its top liaisons to the Legislature barely two months into his inaugural term.

In her brief resignation letter, Bruce said she'd concluded it was "in my best professional and personal interest to step aside at this time." She has not responded to interview requests.

But Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma, says she tried to warn Ferguson's office about the way Mike Webb, the governor's chief strategy officer and a longtime key political aide, treated women.

"I will always speak up and come forward when I hear any allegations of the mistreatment of women," Trudeau said in a statement to The Seattle Times. "That is why, after I heard serious concerns from current executive staff and former campaign staff about a hostile and toxic workplace culture and specific stories about their own experiences with one individual, I went to the most senior staff person in the governor's office and let them know."

Brionna Aho, a spokesperson for Ferguson, said his office has not received any formal or informal human resources complaints about Webb, who deferred comments to the governor's office.

Ferguson himself strongly defended Webb in a statement Monday.

"I wouldn't be governor without Mike. These allegations are, to put it mildly, inconsistent with the person that I've worked with extremely closely and known personally for over a decade," Ferguson said. "That said, if there are any allegations against any member of my team, no matter how close that person is to me, we take those seriously."

In an earlier statement Friday, Ferguson thanked Bruce for her "hard work and dedication" and said she'd be welcome back to his administration.

But a current Ferguson administration aide, who requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation, said Bruce departed amid concerns about her treatment by Webb, notwithstanding efforts by the governor's office to downplay such tensions.

Trudeau said she approached the governor's office more than two weeks ago after hearing what she called "serious concerns" from executive staff and former campaign staffers about "a hostile and toxic workplace culture."

The stories, Trudeau said, centered on "one individual" in the governor's office, in a reference to Webb, whom she did not directly name in her statement. She previously worked with Ferguson and Webb in the Attorney General's Office, where Bruce also worked as the office's legislative director before taking the role in the governor's office.

Trudeau said she spoke to "the most senior staff person in the governor's office," referring to Shane Esquibel, the governor's chief operations officer, to ensure the concerns were taken seriously. But after two weeks, there had been no apparent change, and Bruce quit.

"I am confirming this experience because I believe the people who have come to me and I want to assure them that the right people have heard their concerns. The next steps are with the Governor and his team," Trudeau said.

Aho confirmed that Trudeau and Esquibel had spoken and that Ferguson had followed up with a phone call to Trudeau, with the two trading messages.

State Sen. Mike Chapman, D-Port Angeles, said in a written statement provided to The Times that he was told weeks ago by a male gubernatorial staffer "about the bullying and erratic behavior of Mr. Webb and how broadly it was already impacting many staff members of both genders who were just trying to do their job."

Chapman said he did not talk with the governor's office about the concerns to protect the employee's anonymity. But, he said, now that the issue "has become a public matter, I feel an ethical duty to share what I know to support women who may not otherwise be believed or taken seriously."

As a supporter of Ferguson, Chapman said he doesn't believe the governor would condone such behavior, adding "we are counting on him to take control of the situation and restore trust and professionalism in the governor's office immediately."

Aho said the governor's office had not heard from Chapman about such concern and that Ferguson will reach out to him.

The turmoil in the governor's office has emerged as Ferguson has faced tensions with some legislative Democrats, particularly progressives, over his early efforts to cut state government and avoid endorsing tax increases on the wealthy in the face of a looming budget shortfall.

Webb served as Ferguson's chief of staff in the Attorney General's Office, and managed his first campaign for that office in 2012. He has remained a top political and official aide for Ferguson ever since.