State procurement officials took the stand this week in the Jason Ellsworth trial, telling jurors that the former Senate president pressured them to bypass standard contracting procedures in ways they said were unusual and uncomfortable.
Montana Department of Administration Director Misty Ann Giles was among those who testified, at one point using a whiteboard to walk the jury through the state's normal purchasing process and where she says Ellsworth's alleged interference occurred. Giles testified Friday, July 17, in Lewis and Clark County District Court.
State attorneys have built their case around the argument that Ellsworth used his position atop the Senate to short-circuit competitive bidding and oversight requirements — the guardrails Montana puts in place to keep contracts from being steered to favored vendors. Prosecutors contend that pressure came directly from Ellsworth's office and that state employees felt they had little choice but to comply.
The defense has not disputed that Ellsworth was involved in discussions about contracts, but has challenged whether his conduct crossed into criminal misconduct. Ellsworth faces a single misdemeanor charge of official misconduct. The trial, now in its second week, is continuing in Helena.