OLYMPIA, WA – Washington state House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon acknowledged he was intoxicated during a Wednesday night committee hearing on budget legislation.

The Seattle Democrat admitted to drinking around the time of the House Appropriations Committee hearing.

“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,” Fitzgibbon said in a statement.

“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,” he added.

The incident was first reported on Thursday by “The Jason Rantz Show.”

Several Republican lawmakers who attended the hearing told the show that Fitzgibbon fell asleep during the meeting, slurred his words and appeared “clearly drunk.” The lawmakers requested anonymity, citing their working relationship with the majority leader.

In a video of the hearing, Fitzgibbon seems to be slurring at times.

The incident comes with two weeks to go in the 60-day legislative session, and as lawmakers enter the final stages of approving budget bills.

Wednesday’s hearing, which began at 4 p.m., focused on the House’s roughly $79 billion operating budget proposal. The hearing ran until around 10:15 p.m.

Other legislative leaders with the House Democratic majority have not publicly indicated whether they will pursue any formal action against Fitzgibbon over the incident.

Washington State Standard is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Washington State Standard maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Bill Lucia for questions: info@washingtonstatestandard.com.