Washington House majority leader admits to being intoxicated during budget vote

Shauna Sowers, The Seattle Times on Feb 26, 2026

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OLYMPIA, Wash. — House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon has issued an apology after showing up intoxicated during Wednesday evening's House Appropriations Committee meeting.

The Seattle Democrat said in a statement Thursday that he “deeply” regrets consuming alcohol before the work of the committee was completed, saying he made a serious mistake and that “the result was obvious.”

“Being impaired in that situation was harmful to my work and to my co-workers,” he said. “This was a painful and embarrassing lesson, one I won’t forget, and I will not put myself and others in this situation again in the future.”

The incident occurred during an executive session to pass the House supplemental operating budget. Video of the committee meeting shows the lawmaker leaving his seat multiple times, and at times slumped in his seat.

An unnamed Republican lawmaker who was also at the committee meeting told Seattle Red, which first reported on Fitzgibbon's admission Thursday, that the lawmaker was sleeping during parts of the meeting.

TVW video of the committee shows a glassy-eyed Fitzgibbon addressing other members, at times with slurred speech, before a final vote to pass the proposed budget out of committee. The meeting ran until shortly after 10 p.m.

It is unclear if he will face any disciplinary actions.

Fitzgibbon has been a state representative since 2010. He assumed the role of House majority leader in 2022.