business
Montana senator facing jail time after misconduct conviction
Summary by The Minneapolis Editorial Desk · Based on reporting by Heather Miller , FOX 9 KMSP (FOX)
· July 23, 2026
· 1 min read
Former Montana state Senate President Jason Ellsworth was convicted this week of awarding no-bid contracts to a company with ties to a long-time business associate.
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Summary created by The Minneapolis Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Original reporting Heather Miller, FOX 9 KMSP (FOX) Original story Read at the source Source published Jul 23, 2026 Indexed here Jul 24, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
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Why this matters in The Minneapolis
The conviction of former Montana state Senate President Jason Ellsworth for awarding no-bid contracts to a company tied to a business associate raises questions about the transparency and accountability of government contracting in the Twin Cities area. While this case occurred in Montana, it has implications for Minneapolis, where city officials regularly award contracts to local businesses. The city's procurement process is designed to ensure fairness and competition, but the Ellsworth case shows how easily this process can be manipulated. Minneapolis residents should be aware of the city's contracting procedures and demand that their elected officials prioritize transparency and accountability in the awarding of contracts. This includes ensuring that all contracts are competitively bid and that any potential conflicts of interest are thoroughly disclosed and addressed. By doing so, Minneapolis can maintain the public's trust in its government and ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used effectively.
About this story
Original reporting by FOX 9 KMSP (FOX) . The Minneapolis surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit FOX 9 KMSP (FOX) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: business ·
Published: July 23, 2026 ·
Source: FOX 9 KMSP (FOX) ·
Reading time: 1 min
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? Former Montana state Senate President Jason Ellsworth was convicted this week of awarding no-bid contracts to a company with ties to a long-time business associate.
When was this published? This article was first published on July 23, 2026 by FOX 9 KMSP (FOX) and curated for The Minneapolis readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Heather Miller at FOX 9 KMSP (FOX). To learn more about how The Minneapolis selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more business coverage from The Minneapolis, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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