Big Sky Times

The Office of Disciplinary Counsel has accused Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen of violating conduct rules amidst a separation-of-powers dispute. The complaint alleges that Knudsen undermined public trust and assaulted judiciary integrity during a high-profile legal battle in 2021. The allegations include 41 violations of the Montana Rules of Professional Conduct.

The heart of the complaint centers around Knudsen and the attorneys under his supervision allegedly attempting to evade the authority of the Montana Supreme Court. The complaint claims that they assaulted the integrity of the judiciary and individual justices who were elected by Montana citizens to make decisions.

A significant part of the allegations focuses on a letter sent by the late Chief Deputy Attorney General Kris Hansen to Justice Jim Rice. The letter reportedly disregarded a court order that invalidated legislative subpoenas for court documents and accused the court of meddling with legislative matters.

In response to the complaint, a spokesperson for the Montana Attorney General's Office dismissed the allegations as "meritless" and attributed them to a legitimate dispute between two branches of government. They denounced the accusations as political manipulation and questioned the motivations behind the release of the complaint, noting that the investigator involved has a history of being a staunch Democrat activist and donor.

Knudsen is required to respond in writing to the complaint by September 21, 2023, according to court documents.