Ellsworth Pleads Not Guilty to Alleged Bid-Splitting in State Contract Case

Former Montana Senate president Sen. Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, appeared by video in a Helena courtroom on Jan. 22, 2026, and pleaded not guilty to a charge of official misconduct tied to an alleged bid-splitting scheme on a state contract. Prosecutors contend Ellsworth did not follow procurement requirements and that his decision to divide a contract into two smaller contracts appeared intended to circumvent state bidding rules. Ellsworth has denied wrongdoing and has characterized the investigations as politically motivated.

Judge Abbott has taken over the case from Judge Kathy Seeley. Judge Seeley ordered last month that Ellsworth be suspended from the Senate without pay while the criminal charge is pending under state law that permits suspension of an official charged with official misconduct. The statute provides that an acquitted official may return to office, while a conviction would result in permanent removal.

Ellsworth’s appearance by video formalized his plea but left key questions unresolved. Ellsworth’s attorneys have asked that the entire case be dismissed and have moved to overturn Seeley’s suspension order. Prosecutors maintain that the bid structure and the procurement process warrant a criminal probe into whether the senator abused his official position. With pretrial motions pending, the schedule for any trial remains contingent on rulings by Judge Abbott and on the outcome of defense efforts to block the case.

For residents of Lewis and Clark County, the proceedings carry practical and political consequences. The suspension effectively removes Ellsworth from legislative activity during the pendency of the case, altering representation and voting dynamics in the Montana Senate on matters that can affect Helena and county priorities. Questions about procurement transparency and the enforcement of competitive-bidding rules have broader implications for how state contracts are awarded and monitored, which can influence local contractors and taxpayers who seek accountability in state spending.

The dispute also touches on institutional norms: judicial authority to suspend elected officials without pay intersects with separation-of-powers concerns and with public expectations about due process and oversight of lawmakers. Local civic groups and county residents tracking legislative agendas will see how the suspension reshapes committee work and floor votes in the near term.

What comes next is a sequence of legal motions and potential hearings under Judge Abbott’s oversight, with the suspension to remain in place unless overturned or the charge resolved. Lewis and Clark County voters and stakeholders should expect updates as court rulings clarify whether the case proceeds to trial or is dismissed, and as the handling of procurement questions, both legal and policy, moves forward in the Capitol.