State employee sues Gov. Gianforte over appointment of lawmaker to agency director job

A state employee is suing Gov. Greg Gianforte and others, including the state agency that employs him, claiming that his state representative was recently unconstitutionally appointed to lead the Department of Commerce.

Jordan Williams, an employee for the state’s IT system housed in the Department of Administration, is a resident of former Clancy Republican Rep. Marta Bertoglio’s legislative district. She was appointed by Gianforte to head the Montana Department of Commerce in mid-June and resigned as a state lawmaker.

Bertoglio is one of a handful of sitting legislators to receive a high-profile appointment from Gianforte over his two terms.

The claim that appointing legislators to state agencies is unconstitutional has long been a talking point — often pushed by Democrats — but compl