HELENA, Mont. (AP)
Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton is firing back at Attorney General Tim Fox for saying Stapleton needlessly hired a Republican political consultant's wife to represent him instead of using lawyers from the attorney general's office.
Stapleton Chief of Staff Christi Jacobsen said Friday that Fox's comments were hypocritical and showed that Fox "wanted to roll over" in the state Democratic Party's lawsuit challenging Stapleton's certification of the Green Party for the 2018 elections.
Fox previously called Stapleton's decision to hire Billings attorney Emily Jones a "political decision" that needlessly cost $60,000 in a case that was lost.
Fox spokesman John Barnes says Fox was defending his staff after Stapleton said he wanted someone he could trust in the courtroom.
Jones is the wife of political consultant Jake Eaton. Fox, Stapleton and Eaton are all Republicans.