Missoula, Mont. — Montana State Senator Jason Ellsworth (R-Hamilton) is under fire following the revelation of a contract he signed late last year while chairing a special select committee. The agreement, valued at just over $170,000, was for bill tracking services provided by his associate, Bryan Eggleston.
The contract has raised concerns due to the lack of a competitive bidding process, with state officials indicating that it bypassed the typical protocols for such agreements. According to reporting by the Montana State News Bureau, the deal was approved by the Department of Administration despite initial reservations. The funds used for the contract were originally allocated to the Special Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform, with plans to return any unspent funds to the governor’s office.
Although Ellsworth has moved to terminate the contract, no payments have been made as of yet. Senate President Matt Regier (R-Kalispell), who was unaware of the contract at the time it was signed, has expressed concerns that the deal may have been illegal. Regier stated that the Legislative Audit Division’s Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline is currently looking into the situation. He emphasized that the investigation must proceed with a focus on the facts, not political considerations.
“This whole process should be guided by facts and not politics,” Regier said at a press conference on Tuesday. “We’re waiting to see what the facts are and waiting to see what the conclusions of that investigation are.”
Senate Minority Leader Pat Flowers (D-Belgrade) also weighed in, urging that the investigation be allowed to proceed without interference. “We’ve gone through the proper channels, and we’ll just keep going through the proper channels and have the due process done correctly,” he said in a separate press conference.
The Legislative Audit Division has not confirmed whether an investigation is underway. It remains unclear how long it will take before the findings of any potential probe are released. Regier suggested that the results could lead to an ethics complaint being filed, depending on the outcome.
Ellsworth’s decision to terminate the contract has not quelled concerns about the process, leaving questions about the transparency and legality of the deal hanging over the state Senate. As investigations continue, both political parties are watching closely for further developments.
