Prosecutors from the Montana Attorney General’s Office have filed official misconduct charges against Senator Jason Ellsworth. The charges allege that Ellsworth acted beyond his legal authority as a public servant and request that the court suspend him from office until a final judgment is reached.
The action comes after an investigation by the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), which began in February following a referral from Legislative Auditor Angus Maciver. The DCI determined that Ellsworth improperly arranged a $171,000 contract with Agile Analytics, a company owned by his longtime friend and business partner, for bill tracking services. According to investigators, Ellsworth bypassed state ethics rules regarding public funds by obtaining services valued over $100,000 without advertising the contract, allowing open bids, or securing review by the Department of Administration prior to finalizing the agreement.
Investigators also found that Ellsworth divided the contract into two invoices to stay below the $100,000 threshold required for certain procurement procedures. This move was seen as an attempt to avoid proper contracting protocols with the State of Montana.
Official misconduct is punishable by a fine up to $500 and possible imprisonment in county jail for up to six months. If convicted, Ellsworth could be permanently removed from office at a judge’s discretion. The case has been filed in the Montana First Judicial District Court and will be prosecuted by Assistant Attorneys General Daniel Guzynski and Stephanie Robles.
“The charges follow a Montana Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) investigation launched in February after a referral from Legislative Auditor Angus Maciver. Ultimately, DCI’s investigation concluded Ellsworth improperly submitted a $171,000 contract with Agile Analytics, owned by his longtime friend and business partner, for bill tracking services. Ellsworth violated the ethics rules governing the use of public funds by obtaining services over $100,000 with the State of Montana without advertising, entertaining open bids, and having it reviewed by the Department of Administration before the contract was secured.”
“Additionally, Ellsworth split the contracts into two invoices to avoid the $100,000 threshold in an attempt to avoid the proper procurement process for contracts with the State of Montana.”
“Official misconduct carries punishment of a fine of up to $500 and possible imprisonment in county jail for up to 6 months. If convicted, Ellsworth may also be required by a judge to permanently forfeit his office as a public servant. The charges were filed in the Montana First Judicial District Court. Assistant Attorneys General Daniel Guzynski and Stephanie Robles are prosecuting the case.”
