The Montana Senate unanimously voted to convene its ethics committee to review a public contract brokered by a state senator from Hamilton. A legislative audit concluded the senator abused his power in awarding state business to a longtime associate.
Republican Sen. Jason Ellsworth said he’d welcome an ethics committee investigation into the $170,000 deal he signed in the final hours of his term as Senate President last month.
“This is a distraction and it needs to be taken care of quickly, efficiently, effectively, with no bias,” Ellsworth said.
First reported by the Montana State News Bureau, Ellsworth originally split the contract in half. That put each contract under $100,000, which is the threshold for state deals to go through a public bidding process.
The contracts directed his colleague, Bryce Eggleston, to track the progress of legislation that passes this session.
The state Department of Administration asked Ellsworth to consolidate his deal with Eggleston. The department then OK’d the contract without public bidding under a special exception. The department’s director Misty Ann Giles later told state auditors that the contract should have gone through a public bid. Auditors said that was a waste of state resources.
Senate President Matt Regier said he has concerns about both Ellsworth’s and the department’s actions.
“It is our job as the majority party to hold accountable anyone – Democrat, Republican, Independent, department employee or director – that would break that public trust,” Regier said.
Eggleston and Ellsworth canceled the contract last week amid public criticism. Ellsworth called it a “manufactured controversy.” Regier said he anticipates that Administration Department Director Giles will be called to answer questions before the committee.
Regier and Ellsworth were at odds earlier this month when Ellsworth aligned with Democrats to force a reshuffle in committee assignments.
Senate Minority Leader Pat Flowers supported convening the ethics committee on the contract issue. He urged members to keep politics out of the equation.
The ethics committee, composed of two Republicans and two Democrats, will have its first meeting Wednesday.
