WASHINGTON STATE
EXECUTIVE ETHICS BOARD
May 8, 2026
Regular Meeting Minutes
A. Preliminary Business
1. Roll Call
The regular meeting of the Washington State Executive Ethics Board
(Board) was called to order by Chair Megan Abel at 9:00 a.m. In attendance were Vice Chair Cam Comfort and
Members David Hankins and Mark Rapozo. Board staff in attendance included:
Executive Director Kate Reynolds, Senior Counsel Matt Kernutt, Assistant
Attorney General Julia Eisentrout, Administrative Officer Ruthann Bryant, and
Senior Digital Forensic Investigators Justin Cotte and Swift Sanchez.
2. Approval of Agenda
Motion 26-051 Moved by Vice Chair Comfort,
seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board approved the May 8,
2026 agenda as presented.
The motion passed unanimously.
3. Approval of the March 13, 2026 Meeting
Minutes
Vice Chair Comfort noted a date change in the
approved meeting minutes and Assistant Attorney
General Julia Eisentrout noted changes to the summary regarding EEB Case
2024-010 Thomas Trebecz.
Motion 26-052 Moved by Member Comfort,
seconded by Chair Abel:
The Board approved the March 13, 2026 minutes as amended.
The motion passed unanimously.
B. Enforcement Matters
Motion for Summary Judgment
EEB Case 2024-006 and 023
Michael Catrett
Administrative
Law Judge TJ Martin presided over oral argument on a Motion for Summary
Judgment regarding EEB Case 2024-006 and 023 Michael Catrett.
Michael
Catrett did not appear.
A
written order will be issued in the matter.
Stipulations
EEB
Case 2025-032 (Craven)
Senior Digital Forensic Investigator
Swift Sanchez briefed the Board on a proposed Stipulation and Order in the matter
of Nicholas Craven, Registered Nurse 3
at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center with the Department of Corrections. Nicholas
Craven agreed that they may have violated the Ethics in Public Service Act when
they used their state issued cell phone for calls, text messages and photo
storage for personal use. The proposed order imposes a civil penalty of
$2,500 with $1,000 suspended.
EEB
Case 2025-039 (Threet)
Senior Digital Forensic Investigator Swift
Sanchez also briefed the Board on a proposed Stipulation and Order in the
matter of Derek Threet, Assistant Attorney General with the Attorney General’s
Office. Derek Threet agreed that they may have violated the Ethics in Public
Service Act. Evidence indicated that they
used their position to influence their minor child’s school conduct in relation
to their child and former spouse. The proposed order imposes a civil penalty of
$1,000 with $250 suspended.
EEB
Case 2025-061 (Ferguson)
Senior Digital Forensic Investigator
Justin Cotte also briefed the Board on a proposed Stipulation and Order in the
matter of Bob Ferguson, Governor. Bob Ferguson agreed that they may have
violated the Ethics in Public Service Act when they allowed a private citizen
to travel on the Washington state Patrol aircraft assigned for official use by
the Governor’s Office. The proposed order imposes a civil penalty of $4,000
with $2,000 suspended.
Executive
Director Dismissal
Kate Reynolds summarized an
Executive Director Dismissal in
EEB Case 2025-056 (Michengi).
The Board deferred action on enforcement matters until after their
closed session.
C. Advisory Opinion Review
Executive Director Kate Reynolds reported on the Advisory
Opinion (AO) review project and brought back two AOs related to Gifts that were presented at the January
meeting. Kate Reynolds noted the amendments that were made.
Motion 26-053 Moved by Member Hankins,
seconded by Vice Chair Comfort:
The Board
approved updates to the following Advisory Opinions as amended:
§
Advisory Opinion 96-01: Payments
for Educational Programs
§ Advisory
Opinion 96-02: Unsolicited Refreshments
The motion passed unanimously.
Kate Reynolds also presented a group of AOs related to Post-State
Employment topics.
Motion 26-054 Moved by Vice Chair Comfort,
seconded by Member Rapozo:
The Board approved updates
to the following Advisory Opinions:
·
Advisory Opinion 97-06: Assisting
in a Transaction
·
Advisory Opinion 97-07: Employment
by a Person Who Contracted with Employee’s Agency
·
Advisory Opinion 97-08: Conflicts
of Interest Regarding Post-state Employment
·
Advisory Opinion 98-02: Transaction Involving the State
·
Advisory Opinion 00-01: Stock Options and Post-state
Employment
·
Advisory Opinion 00-02: Working on Programs Funded by a Grant
the Employee Administers
·
Advisory Opinion 00-07: Post-state Employment
·
Advisory Opinion 00-13: Post-state
Employment
·
Advisory Opinion 01-01: Post-state
Employment
·
Advisory Opinion 01-06: Application of Post-employment Provisions to Former Department of Ecology
Employees who Worked on the Hanford Federal Facility Dangerous Waste Program
Permitting Process
·
Advisory Opinion 08-03: Post-state
Employment
·
Advisory Opinion 10-04: Former
Employee Assisting on State Contract
The motion passed unanimously.
D. Policy Reviews
Administrative Officer Ruthann Bryant presented the
Department of Services for the Blind’s Ethics policy and recommended approval.
Motion 26-055 Moved by Vice Chair Comfort,
seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board
approved the Department of Services for the Blind’s Ethics Policy as presented.
The motion passed
unanimously.
Administrative Officer Ruthann Bryant also presented
the Department of Retirement Services Understanding Ethics in Public Service
policy and recommended approval.
Motion 26-056 Moved by Vice Chair Comfort,
seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board
approved the Department of Retirement Services Understanding Ethics in Public
Service policy as presented.
The motion passed
unanimously.
E. Staff Reports
In
honor of Public Service Recognition Week, Executive Director Kate Reynolds
thanked staff for all of their hard work and
dedication.
F. Public Comment/Board Member Comment
No
public or Board Member comments were given.
G. Closed Session
At 9:39
am the Board moved into Closed Session.
At 11:00 am the Board returned to regular session and reported the
following:
Motion 26-057 Moved by Vice Chair Cam
Comfort, seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board approved the Stipulated
Facts, Conclusions of Law and Agreed Order in EEB Case 2025-033 Nicholas Craven,
imposing a civil penalty of $2,500 with $1,000 suspended.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-058 Moved by Chair Abel,
seconded by Vice Chair Comfort:
The Board approved the
Stipulated Facts, Conclusions of Law and Agreed Order in EEB Case 2025-039
Derek Threet, imposing a civil penalty of $1,000 with $250 suspended.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-059 Moved by Member Rapozo,
seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board approved the
Stipulated Facts, Conclusions of Law and Agreed Order in EEB Case 2025-061 Bob
Ferguson, imposing a civil penalty of $4,000 with $2,000 suspended.
Voting For: Chair Abel and Members Rapozo and Hankins.
Not Voting: Vice Chair Comfort.
The motion passed.
Motion 26-060 Moved by Vice Chair Comfort,
seconded by Chair Abel:
The Board
found reasonable cause of $500 or less in EEB Case 2024-003
Jim Jolly.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-061 Moved by Member Hankins,
seconded by Vice Chair Comfort:
The Board
found reasonable cause over $500 in EEB Case 2024-009 LuzMarina Tejada.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-062 Moved by Vice Chair Comfort,
seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board
determined the complaint is unfounded and dismissed EEB Case 2024-016 William Kehoe.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-063 Moved by Member Rapozo,
seconded by Vice Chair Comfort:
The Board
found reasonable cause over $500 in EEB Case 2024-035 Preston Reece.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-064 Moved by Chair Abel,
seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board
determined the complaint is unfounded and dismissed EEB Case 2024-038 Yvonne Strader.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-065 Moved by Member Hankins,
seconded by Chair Abel:
The Board found Reasonable
Cause over $500 in EEB Case 2024-044 Wordly Millard.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-066 Moved by Vice Chair
Comfort, seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board found Reasonable
Cause over $500 in EEB Case 2024-069/2026-007 LaMeshia Reese-Taylor.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-067 Moved by Vice Chair
Comfort, seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board found Reasonable
Cause over $500 in EEB Case 2025-007 Suzanne Wilcox
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-068 Moved by Chair Abel,
seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board
found reasonable cause of $500 or less in EEB Case
2025-007 Tremaine Ezell.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-069 Moved by Member Hankins,
seconded by Vice Chair Comfort:
The Board
determined the complaint is unfounded and dismissed EEB Case 2025-038 Patricia Shives.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-070 Moved by Member Hankins,
seconded by Chair Abel:
The Board
determined the complaint is unfounded and dismissed EEB Case 2025-053 Stephanie Schleif.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-071 Moved by Member Rapozo,
seconded by Vice Chair Comfort:
The Board found Reasonable
Cause over $500 in EEB Case 2025-071 Chris Grant.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-072 Moved by Vice Chair
Comfort, seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board
determined the complaint is unfounded and dismissed EEB Case 2025-073 Stephanie Postier.
Voting For: Vice Chair Comfort and Members Hankins and Rapozo.
Not Voting: Chair Abel.
The motion passed.
Motion 26-073 Moved by Member Hankins,
seconded by Chair Abel:
The Board found Reasonable
Cause over $500 in EEB Case 2025-075 Anthony Distefano.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-074 Moved by Chair Abel,
seconded by Vice Chair Comfort:
The Board found Reasonable
Cause over $500 in EEB Case 2026-019 Kerra McDonald.
The motion passed unanimously.
Motion 26-075 Moved by Vice Chair Comfort,
seconded by Member Hankins:
The Board issued a Default
and Final Order in EEB Case 2024-061 Albert Brant, imposing a civil penalty of
$3,000.
The motion passed unanimously.
H. Miscellaneous Matters/Adjournment
There
being no miscellaneous matters, the meeting was adjourned at 11:15 a.m.
Approved by the Board 7/10/26