Attorneys delivered opening statements Wednesday in Lewis and Clark District Court in the trial of Jason Ellsworth, the former Montana Senate president who faces charges of abusing his office for personal gain. Ellsworth sat at the defense table at the Lewis and Clark County Courthouse as each side laid out the competing versions of his conduct that jurors will spend the coming days weighing.
Prosecutors are expected to argue that Ellsworth used the leverage of his position at the top of the Montana Senate to steer benefits toward himself — an allegation that, if proved, would mark one of the more serious public corruption cases to move through a Helena courtroom in recent memory. The former Senate president served during a period when Republicans held a commanding majority in the chamber, giving the presiding officer considerable sway over committee assignments, floor schedules and the fates of legislation.
Ellsworth's defense has signaled it will contest both the facts alleged and the legal theory underlying the charges, arguing that the conduct at issue falls within the ordinary exercise of legislative authority. His attorneys have not disputed that he held significant power — that much is uncontested — but they have challenged the prosecution's framing of how that power was used.
The trial is being closely watched at the Capitol, where Ellsworth's case has shadowed the Legislature's reputation during an already turbulent session season. Court proceedings are expected to continue through the week at the Lewis and Clark County Courthouse on Broadway.