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WATCH: Inslee to Eyman: Take a seat, just ‘don’t steal it’

At a press briefing Thursday, Governor Jay Inslee told anti-tax activist and gubernatorial opponent Tim Eyman that he should take a seat, “just ‘don’t steal it.”

The comment was a dig referring to Eyman’s suspected theft of an office chair in February 2019 from a Lacey Office Depot. Surveillance video appears to show Eyman taking an office chair from the store. He was charged with misdemeanor theft and pleaded not guilty.

Last summer, Eyman agreed to a stipulated order that didn’t admit guilt in the case, and would eventually dismiss the charge if Eyman doesn’t commit crimes.

Inslee was speaking at an Associated Press event previewing the upcoming legislative session. Eyman, who is running for governor against Inslee, wanted to press the Governor on whether all the money impacted by Initiative 976 is being held in escrow or just the portion that goes to the state.

Eyman sponsored the $30 car tab initiative that voters passed in November. A month later, the Supreme Court ruled that the measure would remain on hold while a legal fight about the measure plays out.

“Tim, you need to sit down,” the two-term governor said Thursday. “Just don’t steal that chair, OK?”

Eyman continued.

“Just sit down on that chair and don’t steal it,” Inslee said.

The governor also remarked about Mike Leach, who announced Thursday that he was leaving the Washington State football program to coach at Mississippi State. Asked about the move, Inslee said some might not consider that “losing.”

Watch Inslee and Eyman’s confrontation above, and see a full report from Olympia on the legislative session preview tonight at 5:30 p.m. on KIRO 7.