Almost a month after his first term, Gov. Bob Ferguson has yet to do just about everything his predecessor considers some of his work. Ask a reporter questions at regular news conferences.
The 2025 legislative conference is ticking by the moment, but Ferguson doesn’t retain the availability of a single general media. This is the television question and answer period that past governors have normally held weekly at Capitol, and we are discussing it.
Such briefings were usually aired live on the state’s public relations network, TVW, and were regularly held by former third season Gov. Jay Inslee and the former governor.
Ferguson has so far shown no interest in dressing up in such an open-ended quiz.
“We don’t know that the decision has been made to never do it,” governor spokesman Brionna Aho said in an interview Thursday. In an email, she said Ferguson is planning media availability on a specific theme, the state budget, in the final week of February.
Meanwhile, Ferguson is also slow to inform the media in advance of his public appearances. His office then sent a dict order requesting state agencies to provide advance notice of all media interviews and news releases.
David Ammons, who covered seven Washington governors as correspondents for the Associated Press in Olympia, said Ferguson’s early stance was a prominent departure for the state.
“That’s our open and accountable government tradition,” Ammons said.
From Dan Evans through Inslee, almost every modern governor has asked questions regularly at Capitol’s press conferences.
The only exception Ammons recalls was Gov. Dixie Lee Ray, a militant Democrat who alienated so many parties that she lost in her primary when she called for reelection in 1980.
Ferguson holds report meetings when he makes presentations and sometimes sends news releases on a variety of issues. However, Ammons said it is not a replacement for the availability of more freewheeled media. There, reporters from across the state can ask questions on behalf of readers and viewers.
“I think button down is disappointing and counterproductive,” Ammons said.
Ferguson declined to interview this article.
“The governor has not commented on your talk about media availability during his first 22 days as governor,” Aho said in an email.
She asked reporters questions, citing Ferguson’s interviews with individual media outlets, including the Seattle Times, citing two public events in January (before he took office).
Former Governor Christine Gregoire, who preceded Inslee as governor from 2005 to 2013, said Congress met press conferences regularly once or twice a week during meetings.
Outside of legislative meetings, Gregoire spoke to the press when necessary, saying her office always did its best to respect deadlines.
“This media is now more frankly than ever in the history of the country than ever before, to ensure that the public is educated, conscious and involved. I think so,” Gregoire said. “So my respect for that concept has not changed since I was in office.”
Former Governor Gary Locke also said he also retains regular media availability, particularly during sessions.
“The press and the public are eager to learn about the governor’s office’s views on the various laws being considered,” he said. “I thought it would be very helpful.”
However, Lock noted that Capitol had far more journalists at the time when outlets such as the Seattle Times, Seattle Post Intelligenter and the Tacoma News Tribune acquired multiple reporters assigned to Beat.
Although Ferguson has been relatively far away, the legislative leaders of both parties continue to hold weekly reports to talk about the various legislative proposals.
D-Tacoma House Speaker Laurie Jinkins did not directly comment on Ferguson’s approach, but he believes it is worth asking questions. .
“So I think engagement is convenient if not exciting at times,” she said.
Ferguson also sets strict expectations for state agencies dealing with the media.
In a memo last month, Aho instructed all Cabinet agencies to send all news releases to the governor’s office at least 48 hours prior to the release.
Additionally, the memo said that if agency staff are planning to interview major media outlets, the agency must “provide advance notice” to the governor’s office.
“This includes the Seattle Times, Como TV, Kiro TV, Fox13, King TV and National Outlet,” the memo said. The governor’s office also wants notifications of social media posts from agents that “gain important interactions, reach, or media attention,” but generally does not require advance review of social media content. I pointed it out.
The memo was first published on social media by Dale Whitaker, a Republican who ran for Secretary of State last year and is now a Republican who held the YouTube Politics Show.
Asked about the note, Aho said the intention was “not to approve their communication or slow down their response.” But she said it would be reasonable for the governor’s office to grasp news coming out of the agencies reporting to him.
“To the governor’s commitment to improving cohesion between state governments, improving awareness of public communications by agencies is essential,” Aho said in an email.
Ferguson’s office was also late in the early days when he was informing the press about his upcoming release.
Members of Capitol Press Corps contacted Ferguson’s communications staff on Monday to request a schedule for the governor’s public appearances for the week.
The governor’s office did not respond to the email. Instead, the office emailed reporters a calendar update late Wednesday after most of the listed events had already passed.
The event included Tuesday’s meeting with Ferguson, Gregoire and Microsoft President Brad Smith. efficiency. “
In an interview, Aho said the governor’s office would be providing a future-proof schedule for his important events starting next week.
