Recall Effort Against Washington Governor Bob Ferguson Ends After Public Disclosure Commission Vacancies Filled
Why It Matters
Washington state’s Public Disclosure Commission — the body responsible for enforcing campaign finance laws — had been operating with only three of its five allotted members, creating a fragile quorum situation heading into an active election season. All three remaining members were required to be present for any hearing or case decision, leaving the commission vulnerable to disruption and raising questions about government accountability in the Pacific Northwest.
The episode highlights how unfilled government appointments can paralyze regulatory bodies and, in this case, ultimately required the threat of a recall petition to prompt executive action.
What Happened
A citizen-led recall effort against Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson came to a close Friday after the governor moved to fill two long-vacant seats on the state Public Disclosure Commission. Campaign finance activist Conner Edwards had filed a recall petition on April 1, arguing that Ferguson’s failure to fill the openings within a timeline prescribed in state law constituted misfeasance and a violation of his oath of office.
Within three weeks of that filing, Ferguson made two appointments. He first installed Matt Segal, a founding partner at Pacifica Law Group and former King County Superior Court judge, to one vacancy. The following week, he appointed Teebah Alsaleh, a Seattle-based lawyer for Microsoft, to the second seat. The two new commissioners are scheduled to attend their first meeting on May 28.
With both seats filled, Edwards announced Friday evening that he was ending his recall pursuit. “While I am disappointed that it took the drastic step of filing recall paperwork to elevate this to Governor Ferguson’s attention, the important thing is that the problem has now been solved,” Edwards said in a written statement.
By the Numbers
- 5 — Total allotted members on the Washington Public Disclosure Commission
- 3 — Members serving before Ferguson’s appointments, all required for quorum
- 2 — Vacancies filled within three weeks of the recall petition filing
- 30 days — The statutory timeline Edwards cited for gubernatorial appointment of commission members
- April 1 — Date Edwards filed the recall petition
Partisan Concerns Over Appointments
The governor’s picks drew immediate scrutiny from Republican lawmakers. State Sen. Mark Schoesler (R-Ritzville) questioned whether Ferguson’s appointments comply with the commission’s requirement that no more than three members belong to the same political party. Schoesler contends that none of the three sitting commissioners is affiliated with the minority party, and that the two new appointments do nothing to change that balance.
“Clearly neither of these people identify with the minority party,” Schoesler said. “If it is not a violation of the law, it is a violation of the spirit of the law.” He noted that the Senate Republican Caucus had recommended Jim Honeyford, a retired state senator from Sunnyside, for one of the open seats — a suggestion Ferguson did not act on.
Commission records show Alsaleh made small campaign contributions to Seattle City Council candidate Sahar Fathi in 2012 and to U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s state Senate campaign in 2014. Fathi is now among Ferguson’s top advisers. Segal’s law firm, Pacifica Law Group, has served as Ferguson’s private counsel.
Ferguson’s office did not respond to requests for comment on the recall’s conclusion. In a legal filing Friday responding to the now-moot petition, Ferguson’s team described the 30-day appointment statute as a “procedural guide” rather than a binding deadline, arguing that rushing to fill a seat without proper vetting could produce adverse outcomes.
Zoom Out
The episode reflects broader tensions across the Mountain West and Pacific Northwest over the balance between executive authority and statutory obligations. When oversight bodies like campaign finance commissions are left understaffed, their ability to enforce election law — especially during active campaign cycles — is directly compromised. Similar accountability gaps have surfaced in housing policy, where delayed government action has left communities scrambling for solutions.
The partisan composition dispute also echoes national debates about whether governors use appointments to regulatory and oversight bodies to consolidate political influence rather than ensure balanced, independent enforcement.
What’s Next
The two newly appointed commissioners, Segal and Alsaleh, are set to attend their first Public Disclosure Commission meeting on May 28. With a full five-member commission restored, the body can resume normal operations — including enforcing campaign finance rules ahead of the upcoming election season.
Sen. Schoesler’s concerns about the partisan composition of the reconstituted commission remain unresolved, and it is unclear whether legislative Republicans will pursue further action to challenge the appointments or seek a formal review of their compliance with state law.
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