Governor sued over appointing legislator to lead state commerce department

A Jefferson County man is suing Gov. Greg Gianforte for appointing a state legislator to lead the Montana Department of Commerce.

Commerce Director Marta Bertoglio was appointed June 16 while still representing Jefferson County in the Montana House. One of the former representative’s constituents, Jordan Williams, argues that the Montana Constitution’s “disqualification provision” bans legislators from appointments to state civil office.

In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Lewis and Clark County District Court, Jordan asks that Bertoglio, a three-term lawmaker from Clancy , be stopped from working at Commerce and that the Department of Administration be blocked from paying the former representative.

The governor’s general counsel, Anita Milanovich , countered in a letter to Williams’