A Montana district court judge has dealt a significant blow to embattled state Sen. Jason Ellsworth, rejecting all five motions filed by his attorneys seeking to dismiss a criminal corruption charge — while simultaneously reinstating him to office after a suspension tied to the ongoing case.
Ellsworth, a Hamilton Republican and former Senate president, was charged in late 2025 with official misconduct after allegedly circumventing state procurement laws to arrange a no-bid, state-funded contract worth more than $170,000 for a personal friend. That friend, Bryce Eggleston, had no qualifications for the work outlined in the contract, which called for tracking legislation from the 2025 Legislature — a task already performed by existing legislative staff.
The scandal triggered ethics proceedings that culminated in a supermajority of the Montana Senate voting to ban Ellsworth from the chamber for life, one of the most severe punishments the body can impose on one of its own members.
Ellsworth’s legal team filed five separate motions to dismiss between January and May, leaning heavily on claims of legislative immunity while also challenging technical aspects of the state’s case. Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Christopher Abbott denied all five in a single 47-page ruling issued Wednesday.
A conviction on the official misconduct charge could result in Ellsworth’s removal from office, though his current term representing Senate District 43 expires at the end of this year.