Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte’s budget office is home to tens of millions of dollars in unrestricted money that is continuously accumulating, some of which has already been spent on a smattering of projects, according to records obtained by the Montana State News Bureau.

Some of that money was provided by Gianforte’s administration to Sen. Jason Ellsworth, who used it for his legislative committee on judicial oversight, which churned out 27 bills aimed to rein in the judicial branch’s power. The governor’s office said it was not aware Ellsworth was seeking the money for the committee.

That effort ended in controversy after Ellsworth attempted to use some of the money to hire his former business associate and longtime friend with a contract that did not adhere to state rules.