by Jake Goldstein-Street, Washington State Standard
July 23, 2026
Washington could spend $1 million repairing damage from vandalism at the state Capitol last year.
Restoring a historic wool rug in the state Reception Room as close as possible to its pre-damage form would be the costliest component. A state panel on Thursday endorsed the most expensive option with a cost of roughly $959,000. Shipping to New York where the work would be done would cost $240,000 alone.
“It ain’t just a rug,” Lt. Gov. Denny Heck said. “It’s a piece of artwork. It’s an original piece of artwork that is unique in the world.”
The huge, nearly century-old rug was burned in two spots in the Oct. 5 break-in. Gunnar Schubert is accused of parking his car on the sidewalk of the campus flag circle, breaking into the Capitol through a window, setting fire to county, state and U.S. flags, tipping over busts of George Washington and Martin Luther King Jr., and burning a piano, among other damage. The episode lasted about 10 minutes.
The State Capitol and Capitol Campus Design Advisory committees also recommended spending nearly $23,000 to refinish the teak floor under the rug and $29,000 to restore burned mohair drapery in the reception room on the third floor of the Capitol. Combined with the rug, these repairs would top $1 million.
“It’s hard to put a price on our heritage and our history and our values,” said Sen. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds. “It’s important to do the right thing and to keep our Capitol in as best shape as possible.”
But the work can’t get started yet.
The restoration is subject to funding from the Legislature or insurance reimbursement. Lawmakers this year approved $250,000 for repairs. Officials believe insurance should cover the costs.
An insurance adjuster came out in late May to assess whether the damage would be covered. A decision was anticipated early this month, but that didn’t happen.
“At this point, it is any day, and we are continuing to be as irritating as we can, so we can get an answer without making them mad at us,” said Jo Aiken, the chief operations officer at the state Department of Enterprise Services, which manages state facilities.
Currently, the rug is rolled up and stored in the reception room until it can be moved to New York for repairs. It needs to be shipped sooner rather than later, as officials have been working to control the humidity and temperature to avoid mold or mildew growth from the use of lighter fluid for the fire.
Some work is done.
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Repairs to the busts of Washington and King cost $5,500 each. An 1893 Blüthner piano, presented to the state in 1990, also cost $5,500 to restore. And repairing damage to marble stairs and floors has cost $4,200, for a total of more than $20,000 spent on these items so far.
Schubert faces second-degree burglary and third-degree malicious mischief charges stemming from the break-in. His criminal case hasn’t proceeded as his mental fitness to stand trial is still in question.
Another act of vandalism hit the Capitol in June, when a man shattered more than a dozen windows. He wasn’t successful getting inside, as security film applied on the windows after the October incident held broken pieces together.
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