“I have seen lawmakers, um, under the influence of alcohol before. And, um, you know, I’m not in a position to cast stones here, um, but, you know, this is a stressful place where a lot of people do turn to alcohol to, um, to get through the day.”
Washington House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon confessed on Thursday to being drunk while debating the state budget and issued an apology. The admission came after a video of Fitzgibbon in a committee hearing on Monday night, slurring his words in support of the Democrats’ disastrous budget.
The high-ranking Democrat told The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI via email, “I made a poor choice last night by drinking alcohol before we had finished our work for the day. I am disappointed in myself & take responsibility for that poor choice. It won’t happen again, and I’m committed to completing my work this session without alcohol.”
NEW: WA House Democrats reportedly knew their majority leader was drunk and called a recess to "deal with him." But when they reconvened, Rep Joe Fitzgibbon came back into the hearing looking disheveled & the chair still let him speak@CarleenJohn1970 joined me to discuss pic.twitter.com/TRLCrsJJpQ
— Ari Hoffman (@thehoffather) February 27, 2026
His office later followed with another statement, which read, “I deeply regret and apologize for the fact that I consumed alcohol before the work of the Appropriations Committee was completed on Wednesday, and the result was obvious. This was a serious mistake for many reasons. Being impaired in that situation was harmful to my work and to my co-workers. 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. Again, I apologize.”
NEW: "Hi Ari. I made a poor choice last night by drinking alcohol before we had finished our work for the day. I am disappointed in myself & take responsibility for that poor choice. It won’t happen again, and I’m committed to completing my work this session without alcohol." -… https://t.co/UTNrRilF4Z
— Ari Hoffman (@thehoffather) February 26, 2026
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening during the House Appropriations Committee meeting after Democrats rejected almost every single Republican amendment to the $2 billion state budget increase despite back-to-back deficits. The proposed budget raids the state’s rainy day account and first responder pension fund, while also slashing school funding.
Democrats have also proposed an income tax, despite it being rejected 11 times by Washingtonians and declared unconstitutional by opponents.
Center Square reporter Carleen Johnson told Hoffman that Democrats had originally called a recess when they realized the majority leader was intoxicated after he was spotted dozing off and placing his head in his hands. The Democrats reportedly told their Republican colleagues that they had to “deal with him.” When the committee reconvened, Fitzgibbon was absent but wandered into the room looking disheveled.
Still, Democrats called on Fitzgibbon to speak, and he immediately began slurring his words and stuttering while justifying the need to raid state police and firefighter pension funds in a drunken rant that lasted nearly five minutes.
After apologizing for being caught drunk in a hearing, WA House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon says, "I have seen lawmakers under the influence of alcohol before. I'm not in a position to cast stones here, but this is a stressful place where a lot of people do turn to alcohol to… pic.twitter.com/aiIHpl5ym8
— Ari Hoffman (@thehoffather) February 27, 2026
Fitzgibbon has represented the district of West Seattle since 2010. In an interview with KVI’s sister station, Northwest News Radio, Fitzgibbon told reporter Jeff Poehjela, “I have seen lawmakers, um, under the influence of alcohol before. And, um, you know, I’m not in a position to cast stones here, um, but, you know, this is a stressful place where a lot of people do turn to alcohol to, um, to get through the day. That’s, uh you know, my experience, not a good choice.”
NEW: “We expect professionalism in the workplace, and while Rep. Fitzgibbon did not meet that standard Wednesday night, he has acknowledged that behavior is unacceptable and has apologized. The people of Washington expect and deserve their legislators to be fully focused and… https://t.co/UTNrRilF4Z
— Ari Hoffman (@thehoffather) February 26, 2026
When asked if he would be disciplined, reprimanded or demoted due to his behavior, House Speaker Laurie Jinkins told Hoffman, “We expect professionalism in the workplace, and while Rep. Fitzgibbon did not meet that standard Wednesday night, he has acknowledged that behavior is unacceptable and has apologized. The people of Washington expect and deserve their legislators to be fully focused and clear on the work we are here to do on their behalf, and House Democratic Caucus leadership stands with Rep. Fitzgibbon as he takes whatever steps he needs to ensure his well-being.”
Jinkins did not address Fitzgibbon’s claims that other lawmakers were turning to alcohol regularly “to get through the day.”
