Ethics committee starts investigation into former state Senate president

A Senate Ethics Committee hearing concerning state Sen. Jason Ellsworth’s relationship with a government contractor launched Friday with a debate over what witnesses the former Montana Senate president could use in his defense. 

The first seven hours of what’s expected to be a multi-day hearing concluded with testimony from two employees of the legislative branch discussing a $170,100 contract for services, which is at the heart of matter.

The debate opened over which witnesses Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, would be able to call. The senator is expected to argue that the case against him stems from animus with current Senate President Matt Regier, R-Kalispell. Regier, who is facing an investigation by the legislative auditor into his own handling of contracts, will be a witness in the Ellsworth hearing.

It was Regier and Majority Aide Rhonda Knudsen who filed a complaint against Ellsworth using a watchdog function of the legislative auditor’s office. 

Ellsworth’s attorney, Joan Mell, told Senate Ethic Committee members Friday that she will also call Legislative Auditor Angus Maciver, whom Ellsworth filed a $5 million tort claim against on March 3. The senator accused Maciver of issuing a false investigation report that Ellsworth says incorrectly determined he committed official misconduct, a misdemeanor. 

“There was nothing illegal about the contracts, and it will be important for you to pay attention to exhibit A, which is the delegation agreement that I have previously indicated in exhibits J and K were known to Maciver, the auditor who declared the contract an illegal one, completely erroneous[ly]. It was not an illegal contract,” Mell said in her opening statement Friday. 

Both Ellsworth and his attorney participated in the hearing via Zoom, the video conferencing platform. Ellsworth’s screen was dark throughout the proceeding.

The Legislature’s Financial Services Supervisor Angie Carter and Deputy Director of Legal Services Jaret Coles testified about dealing with two Ellsworth contracts, each more than $80,000, shortly after Christmas 2024. Because there were two contracts, the work being awarded to contractor Bryce Eggleston raised questions with legislative staff about whether state bidding laws were being avoided.

Carter testified that the contracts were to be paid in advance of any work done. There was a suggestion that the work awarded to Eggleston could have been done for less expense by legislative staff. 

Eggleston was to monitor government agencies as they put into practice bills passed by the 2025 Legislature to limit the autonomy of Montana courts. 

The ethics committee will meet again when lawmakers return from the transmittal break March 14. The committee, made up of two Republicans and two Democrats, will forward its findings to the full Senate for review.