SHINE — A retired NASA space shuttle astronaut who also flew 90 combat missions over Vietnam, John Fabian was honored in October with a governor’s appointment to Washington State University Board of Regents.
Fabian was the first regents appointee to have received the regents’ Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1983 for his military service and space-exploration achievements.
So why did Fabian — a Pullman native and WSU alumnus — reluctantly resign May 9 from the WSU Board of Regents after serving just six months of a six-year term?
The answer comes from a state labor leader, whose organization actively lobbied in Olympia against Fabian’s state Senate confirmation.
Labor’s anti-Fabian campaign came after he called union officials “stupid” and “ignorant” for their support of the Fred Hill Materials Inc. proposed “pit-to-pier” project in Jefferson County, said Rick Bender, Washington State Labor Council president.
Fred Hill is a union company.
Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, is the largest labor organization in the state, representing more than 430,000 rank-and-file union members.
Three-year-old comments
Bender also took issue with comments Fabian reportedly made nearly three years ago to the daughter-in-law of state Rep. William “Ike” Eickmeyer, D-Belfair, a 35th District Democrat who represents Kitsap County.
Eickmeyer’s son, Ezra, spoke in favor of the Fred Hill project during a Jefferson County public hearing in 2002.
Eickmeyer is chairman of the House of Representatives Hood Canal Select Committee.
“We now know the family relationships and the employment situation. Shame on you! Shame on Ezra! Prostitution isn’t just about sex. It’s about selling yourself,” was an excerpt from the e-mail Bender references that Fabian sent to the Eickmeyers, living in Port Hadlock at the time.
A Shine-area resident now dedicated to the Hood Canal Coalition’s environmental causes, Fabian did not receive state Senate confirmation in March when legislation to confirm his appointment quietly died after a hearing before the Senate’s Higher Education Committee.
Legislation to confirm Fabian never made it to the Senate floor.
‘Deeply disappointed’
Contacted at his Shine home, Fabian confirmed he did not receive Senate confirmation and was “deeply disappointed.”
Fabian, however, declined to comment further.
“I would just as soon not go into it because it opens up a whole can of worms” he told the Peninsula Daily News.
“I will simply tell you that I have resigned from the board with great reluctance. At this point in time it is not possible for me to continue on with that role.”
Fabian’s May 9 resignation letter to Board of Regents President Elizabeth “Betsy” Cowles, Cowles Publishing Co.’s vice president in Spokane, states: “Unfortunately, present circumstances make it impossible for me to continue to serve at this time.”
Saying he remained “committed and faithful to this great institution and have been honored to be a member of the Board of Regents,” Fabian signed off with the university’s familiar slogan: “Go Cougs!”
