Podcasts about montana free press

The state's largest utility company is now charging customers 17 percent more for electricity. It made that price bump without the approval of state regulators. Montana Free Press' Amanda Eggert sat down with MTPR's Ellis Juhlin to talk about her reporting on the change.

Mike Koshmrl has been an environmental reporter and journalist for over a decade. He previously worked with Jackson Hole News & Guide and currently writes for WyoFile, reporting on environmental, conservation and natural issues concerning the state of Wyoming. Amanda Eggert has been an environmental reporter with Montana Free Press since 2021. She has also written for other publications including Explore Big Sky, Explore Yellowstone & Mountain Outlaw. Both shared their experiences in writing this combined piece, The Year of the Wolves documenting the first steps to wolves being reintroduced to the Northern Rockies. Read the story below at both publications websites. The Year of the Wolves (Wyofile) The Year of the Wolves (Montana Free Press)Amanda Eggert StoriesMike Koshmrl Stories@wyofile@mtfreepress@thewolfconnectionpod

What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not clear to us? - Job 15:9   This Episode's Links and Timestamps: 00:00 – Scripture Reading 12:13 – My Commentary on Job 15-17 31:29 - Tom Cotton: America Needs To Adjust To The Future Of Warfare – Daily Wire News 46:24 - Ex-Pastor J.D. Hall guilty of embezzlement, ordered to pay restitution to Montana church – Arren Kimbel-Sannit, Montana Free Press, Billings Gazette 1:01:26 - The gods must be angry: Mexico ‘cancels' statue of Greek god Poseidon after dispute with local deity – Fabiola Sanchez, AP 1:18:07 - When Magical Management Thinking Gets People Killed – Aaron Renn 1:35:10 - ‘Knowledge and Power' by George Gilder - Goodreads

Federal regulators last year criticized the Montana health department as “severely out of compliance” with rules that require applications for nutrition assistance to be processed in a timely manner, according to reporting from Montana Free Press.

New analysis of state data by Montana Free Press confirms what many homeowners in the state may have already noticed: Residential property taxes are up substantially this year. At the same time, some large industrial businesses are paying millions of dollars less.

In today's episode we share some wildlife wins and go over what to do if you come face to face with a bear. Share with your friends and rate, review, subscribe!Find us on all the things: http://linktr.ee/bearsandbrewspodcast Links We Discussed:https://www.bearsmart.com/play/bear-encounters/https://www.nps.gov/subjects/bears/safety.htmSources Cited:Eggert, Amanda. “BLM Bans Cyanide Bombs Used to Control Predators.” Montana Free Press, 28 Nov. 2023, montanafreepress.org/2023/11/28/blm-bans-cyanide-bombs-used-to-control-predators/#:~:text=The%20decision%20comes%20after%20conservation,245%20million%20acres%20it%20administers.&text=The%20Bureau%20of%20Land%20Management%20has%20banned%20the%20use%20of,a%20minimum%20of%20five%20years. Herrero, Stephen. Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance. Lyons Press, 2018.Juhlin, Ellis. “Judge Orders Shorter Wolf Trapping Season to Protect Grizzly Bears in Montana.” Montana Public Radio, 1 Dec. 2023, www.mtpr.org/montana-news/2023-11-30/groups-ask-court-to-shorten-trapping-season-to-protect-grizzly-bears. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Graham is the Executive Editor of NewsBusters and is the Media Research Center's Director of Media Analysis. Check your bias at the door. John Adams, Editor and Chief of Montana Free Press brings his insight to what is needed […] The post Who fact checks the fact checkers? first appeared on Voices of Montana.

Is there a coin shortage in the U.S.? Is there an increase in kids smoking weed at school? And: what's the deal with Montana politics?   All of these questions were asked by you, our listeners. Throughout the life of this podcast, we've asked you to pick up the phone and leave us Assignments – and you have delivered. We love getting these messages. We took these three Assignments and called up three reporters who could give us some answers. Joining us this week, CNN Business reporter Clare Duffy @claresduffy, CNN Health reporter Jacqueline Howard @JacqEHoward, and Montana Free Press editor, Brad Tyer.  Read the Montana Free Press at MontanaFreePress.org and follow them at @mtfreepress.  We're only getting started with your Assignments, so if you want to leave us one, please do! You can send an email to theassignment@cnn.com or leave us a voicemail: 202-854-8802 To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Is there a coin shortage in the U.S.? Is there an increase in kids smoking weed at school? And: what's the deal with Montana politics?   All of these questions were asked by you, our listeners. Throughout the life of this podcast, we've asked you to pick up the phone and leave us Assignments – and you have delivered. We love getting these messages. We took these three Assignments and called up three reporters who could give us some answers. Joining us this week, CNN Business reporter Clare Duffy @claresduffy, CNN Health reporter Jacqueline Howard @JacqEHoward, and Montana Free Press editor, Brad Tyer.  Read the Montana Free Press at MontanaFreePress.org and follow them at @mtfreepress.  We're only getting started with your Assignments, so if you want to leave us one, please do! You can send an email to theassignment@cnn.com or leave us a voicemail: 202-854-8802  To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A “constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment”. That's why 16 young people between ages 5 and 22 are suing the state of Montana seeking a transition to a less carbon-intensive energy policy. The trial has been called historic in Montana and could have implications nationwide on climate litigation. Amanda Eggert has been following the case for the Montana Free Press and she shared her reporting with Climate Cast.

A group of young environmentalists in Montana are suing the state for not taking climate change seriously enough. Amanda Eggert, environmental reporter at Montana Free Press, breaks down the latest in the case as it enters its second week.

Do Montanans have a constitutional right to a clean and healthy environment? According to the state constitution they do. And a group of young people are using that language to sue the state over its energy policies. The case is called Held v. Montana, and the plaintiffs want to prove the state's energy policies directly harm the Montana environment. In today's episode of The Weeds, we'll dig into the case with Amanda Eggert (@amandaleggert), environmental reporter at the Montana Free Press, and also hear from a plaintiff about why she decided to join the lawsuit.  You can read more reporting from Amanda on the Montana legislature, state energy policy, and the environment at MontanaFreePress.org We reached out to the Montana attorney general's office for comment. Here is the full statement below:  “Following the legislative session, there are no existing laws or policies for the district court to rule on. A show trial on laws that do not exist, as the district court seems intent on holding, would be a colossal waste of taxpayer resources. This same lawsuit has been thrown out of federal court and courts in a dozen other states — and it should be dismissed here in Montana as well.” —Emily Flower, spokeswoman for Attorney General Austin Knudsen “This entire lawsuit is a meritless publicity stunt to increase fundraising for their political activism at the expense of Montana taxpayers. Our Children's Trust is a special-interest group that is exploiting well-intentioned Montana kids — including a 4-year-old and an 8-year-old — to achieve its goal of shutting down responsible energy development in our state. Unable to implement their policies through the normal processes of representative government, these out-of-state climate activists are trying to use liberal courts to impose their authoritarian climate agenda on Montanans.” —Kyler Nerison, communications director for Attorney General Austin Knudsen Credits: Jonquilyn Hill, host Sofi LaLonde, producer Cristian Ayala, engineer A.M. Hall, editorial director of talk podcasts Want to support The Weeds? Please consider making a donation to Vox: bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gov. Greg Gianforte Wednesday approved more than $300 million in grants for telecom companies to bring broadband to Montana's underserved areas. Montana Free Press deputy editor Eric Dietrich has been following the commission's work and joined MTPR's Austin Amestoy to break down the latest developments

This week's guest is Eric Dietrich, deputy editor at Montana Free Press, where he leads the Long Streets Project, an initiative that conducts in depth reporting on Montana's economy. Eric's recent reporting has focused on housing, and in particular, Governor Greg Gianforte's Housing Task Force. In this conversation, Justin asks Eric about the state of play of housing in Montana and what the key battlegrounds are on both sides of the debate on how to make more housing. Eric describes how the Housing Task Force came to be and gives a summary of its recommendations to Montana Governor Greg Gianforte. Eric talks about Airbnbs and how they erode the line between housing for residents and tourists and explains what he's going to watch for in the upcoming legislative session. Transcript here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SF96WYg0A8w_1XTMyOwyoxswXvLkCN6xYZWxegm0Htw/edit

As is my tradition, this being our five-hundredth episode, let's recap the last hundred episodes, and draw out some observations and take-aways. Average podcast length doesn't seem to be much of a factor. The highlights - or ten most popular episodes - are almost three times as popular as the lowlights; yet the most popular episodes are 10% longer. What's more, I had two episodes over 2 hours long – one about Doug Wilson, and one about the Montana Free Press expose of the JD Hall situation. And these were my longest podcast episodes to-date by a long shot. But, interestingly, listenership did not seem to be adversely affected. That likely is due to subject matter. Contrasting the single most popular episode with the very least, there were over four times as many listens when I talked about a Biblical word study centered on Lynyrd Skynyrd's song ‘Simple Man' compared with the Battle of Bannockburn and what the Southern Poverty Law Center found in polling Americans about their attitudes toward the legitimacy of political assassination as an instrument of change or saving the country. The difference between the top and bottom ten episodes is, on average, a factor of two to four. Lynyrd Skynyrd, G.K. Chesterton, Sinclair Ferguson, David Morrill, Doug Wilson, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, AD Robles, Jon Harris, and JD Hall - the names of notable men crop up in the most popular episodes. And there does seem to be something to focusing on a particular character that seems to highlight and make more interesting the exploration of more general truths and principles. Meanwhile, Christian nationalism, Christian unity, Christian universalism, and the election are recurring themes in the least popular episodes. And, yes, names crop up in some of these as well, but not as many. Only Jonathan Leeman, Herschel Walker, Raphael Warnock, and Joe Rogan mentioned. But most of these are less well known in relation to the question of theology, ecclesiology, or Christian political philosophy, and that is probably decisive for many of you in whether you tune in. As usual, there is a three month difference, on average, between when the top and bottom 10% of episodes were published, with the older episodes getting more plays over time. From July to October, we went from more summertime cares and concerns to either wanting to deep-dive into election news and analysis, or desperately wanting to have the election over so we could move on with normal life again. And this too is meaningful, since it speaks to a kind of growing weariness which we do well to think about and be intentional regarding. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/garrett-ashley-mullet/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/garrett-ashley-mullet/support

Wednesday, July 20th, my cell phone rang. A number I didn't recognize showed up, and I answered. On the other end was Arren Kimbel-Sannit, a reporter with Montana Free Press in Helena. He wanted to know if I had time for an interview regarding J.D. Hall. I still want to know how he got my number. Nevertheless, on September 13th, the result of that interview and Arren's other investigations were published at MTFP in an article over 7,000 words long titled 'The gospel - and the GOP - according to J.D. Hall.' In this episode, I intend to talk through the quotes and references contained in this article related to platforms, persons, positions, and principles which I know to be important to my home state of Montana, my country America, and both myself and many of my friends and family across the U.S. On the front end, I will confess to suspecting long ago the whole ugly business would end up here - that conservative Christian views on a wide array of issues being tied to Hall, an effort would be summarily made to decry all together as repressive, offensive, harsh, and ignorant. Even in saying that, I hope and pray this is not the end. So long as important lessons can be learned from the cautionary tale of a power-drunk opportunist egomaniac, and of the consequences - both personal and political - of endorsement and acquiescence of his antics by turn, perhaps we will see a silver lining. Make no mistake, Hall was enabled and inspired by the bad behavior of many - right, left, and center. And this is what comes of being most interested in "getting things done," and leaving principles where the handling of truth and the folks who disagree are concerned on the threshing floor. God's grace in Christ Jesus can shine on those who have erred greatly here, both through sins of omission and commission, and I pray that it will. God surely will answer prayers for wisdom for them that heed the warning and ask the Lord for wisdom. But I begin to feel in reading this article as though all parties concerned in American politics these days - even in remote Montana - need to be reminded that either the whole counsel of God is authoritative or else none of it is. Moreover, and along similar lines, I would remind my fellow Montanans on all sides of this that Christ himself reserved his fiercest rebukes for hypocrites, those who only play-acted at having principles when the same applied to everyone but themselves and their allies. And such can indeed be found on all sides, as it turns out. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/garrett-ashley-mullet/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/garrett-ashley-mullet/support

In part two of Megan's conversation with journalists Emily Stifler Wolfe and Jason Thompson of the “Common Ground Series” published by Montana Free Press, they discuss the threat of desertification, succession planning challenges family farms face and the sixth soil health principle of context.

Ben and Amory are, sadly, not the type of people who truly "unplug" when they go on vacation, but this week's story is proof that those people do, in fact, exist! It comes to us from "Shared State" — a podcast from the Montana Free Press, Montana Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio — and it's the story of a couple who returned from a vacation off the grid to discover that they were entangled in a viral political feud with one of Fox News' most controversial commentators.

This week's guest is Mara Silvers of Montana Free Press. Mara and her colleagues have teamed up with Montana Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio to produce a second season of the amazing Shared State, a podcast about the strange political moment we're living through. Season one went deep on the meaning of Montana values in the lead up to the 2020 election. Season two, which just released, explores some of Montana's messiest political quagmires and the people trying to find their way through. In this conversation, we cover Mara's path to this project, and dive into episode topics from political fires in fly shops to the sovereignty of Badger-Two Medicine. Transcript here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14eVT2tEX91tPsGbLQ9MHsao-z8quaVCvyXnE_kX47mE/edit?usp=sharing

This week we speak with Sarah Vowell and Brad Tyer. Sarah is a bestselling author, journalist and doer of many awesome things. Brad is an editor at Montana Free Press and manager of the newsroom. These two have teamed up to produce some special content to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Montana State Constitution and explore some of the amazing stories behind its creation. On March 22, the day of the actual signing by the delegates, Sarah and Brad's Montana Free Press colleague, John Adams, will moderate a panel event at Montana State University commemorating the anniversary. For more information visit: https://www.montana.edu/mt50/ Transcript here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1B9X1YSjHlLZnbYT8EGVz4MoCO66L_ufZbcZ09Too9mY/edit?usp=sharing

In the summer of 2021, Livingston residents Kascie and Dan were preparing for a wilderness float trip in Idaho. Before heading to the river and leaving cell service behind, they stocked up on supplies at Dan Bailey's, an outdoor gear shop. What happened there was caught on video and viewed millions of times. It ignited a political firestorm across the country. That conflict just kept spiraling, providing one example of how today's political disagreements can have far-flung consequences.   BONUS LINKS: Pew Research's Political Typology Quiz can be found here. Follow Prof. Jessi Bennion on Twitter @JessiBennion.    This is the first episode of Shared State, Season 2, a podcast from Montana Free Press, Montana Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio. This episode was reported by Nick Mott, edited and produced by Nicky Ouellet and hosted by Mara Silvers. Editorial assistance from Corin Cates-Carney, Nadya Faulx, and Brad Tyer. Fact-checking by Jess Sheldahl. Gabe Sweeney is our sound designer.

In 2009, Montana was caught up in a heated national debate over whether terminally ill patients could expedite their deaths by taking lethal, physician-prescribed medication. More than a decade later, the state is still mired in disagreement about medical aid in dying, in part because courts and elected lawmakers have sidestepped the political hot-potato. Meanwhile, individual Montanans are confronting profound and personal questions about death in their own ways — including whether “good” deaths are even possible.    BONUS LINKS: Read former Montana Supreme Court Justice Jim Nelson's reflection on the Baxter decision here. Watch one of the Montana Legislature's 2021 hearings on a bill to prohibit medical aid in dying here.   Shared State a podcast from Montana Free Press, Montana Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio. This episode was reported by Mara Silvers. It was edited and produced by Nicky Ouellet, with additional editing and hosting by Nick Mott. Editorial assistance from Corin Cates-Carney, Nadya Faulx, and Brad Tyer. Fact-checking by Jess Sheldahl. Gabe Sweeney is our sound designer.

There's not much certainty for the coal industry these days. In Montana, four of the six owners of the Colstrip Power Plant live in states where legislation is requiring companies to wean themselves off of coal energy. Residents of Colstrip — a town that has grown and prospered because of that resource —  fear that any bad news for the industry will be even worse for them. Up against shifting markets and corporate interests, how can advocates for Colstrip ensure future stability for its residents?   BONUS LINKS: Read more about the Southeastern Montana Economic Development's diversification strategy for Colstrip. Learn more about what else the Coal Severance Tax Trust Fund pays for.  Follow the Montana Legislature's interim study of the Coal Severance Tax Trust Fund.   Shared State a podcast from Montana Free Press, Montana Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio. This episode was reported by Melissa Loveridge and edited by Nicky Ouellet. It was produced by Nick Mott and hosted by Mara Silvers. Editorial assistance from Corin Cates-Carney, Nadya Faulx, and Brad Tyer. Fact-checking by Jess Sheldahl. Gabe Sweeney is our sound designer.

For decades, housing affordability has been a hot-button issue in Bozeman politics, a clear community pain point where the city's elected leaders haven't managed to deliver significant relief. As insider and outsider candidates campaigned for city offices in 2021, housing policy became the election's key issue. The solution, some residents argued, was to elect working class advocates to positions of power. Key to getting the job done, others countered, is experienced, incumbent leadership.    BONUS LINKS:  The One Valley Community Foundation's 2021 Regional Housing Study: onevalley.org/regionalhousing  Follow Urban Institute housing researcher Corianne Scaley on Twitter @CorianneScally   Shared State a podcast from Montana Free Press, Montana Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio. This episode was reported by Eric Dietrich and edited by Nick Mott. It was produced by Nicky Ouellet and hosted by Mara Silvers. Editorial assistance from Corin Cates-Carney, Nadya Faulx, and Brad Tyer. Fact-checking by Jess Sheldahl. Gabe Sweeney is our sound designer.

Whitefish has a reputation as a charming ski destination in Montana's northwest corner that welcomes wayward strays, whether that's for a season or a lifetime. That attitude has helped grow small businesses and local watering holes, and keep friendly faces on the slopes and behind the bar. But in recent years, more and more people have been drawn to the good thing Whitefish has going on. Locals fear that surging popularity — and skyrocketing cost of living — could push out the very characters that make this place so special.   BONUS LINKS:  Read the 2016 Whitefish Area Workforce Housing Needs Assessment here. Watch Gene live his dream here. More vintage Big Mountain footage here and here.   Shared State a podcast from Montana Free Press, Montana Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio. This episode was reported by Justin Franz and edited by Nick Mott. It was produced by Nicky Ouellet and hosted by Mara Silvers. Editorial assistance from Corin Cates-Carney, Nadya Faulx, and Brad Tyer. Fact-checking by Jess Sheldahl. Gabe Sweeney is our sound designer.

It's not surprising for Montanans to have plenty of political disagreements. What's more uncommon? Neighbors whispering about each other at grocery stores and disrupting entire public meetings with passionate tirades. Welcome to the era of COVID-19, when debates about public health, personal liberties and science have reached a fever pitch. Those disagreements are tugging at tightly-knit towns and counties, making some residents wonder how their communities will survive in more ways than one.   BONUS LINKS: Read more about the Ravalli County Board of Public Health's COVID-19 policies here. Check out more Kaiser Health News reporting here on public health officials and new pandemic-era regulation passed in different states.   Shared State a podcast from Montana Free Press, Montana Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio. This episode was reported by Katheryn Houghton of Kaiser Health News and Alex Sakariassen. It was edited by Mara Silvers, produced by Nicky Ouellet and hosted by Nick Mott. Editorial assistance from Taunya English, Corin Cates-Carney, Nadya Faulx, and Brad Tyer. Fact-checking by Jess Sheldahl. Gabe Sweeney is our sound designer.

For many Montanans, the Badger-Two Medicine is synonymous with one of the most significant grassroots conservation successes in recent decades. That story is about Blackfeet tribal traditionalists, political leaders, and conservation groups coming together to defeat oil and gas leases in one undeveloped expanse of wilderness in Montana. Now, thecoalition faces thorny questions — what does long-term protection and management of the Badger look like, and who gets to decide?   BONUS LINKS: Read more about the Badger-Two Medicine on the Blackfeet Nation's website. Find out about the documentary we referenced, Backbone of the World, here. Listen to “Land Back” by A Tribe Called Red.   Shared State a podcast from Montana Free Press, Montana Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio. This episode was reported by Aaron Bolton and edited by Nicky Ouellet. It was produced by Mara Silvers and hosted by Nick Mott. Editorial assistance from Corin Cates-Carney, Nadya Faulx, and Brad Tyer. Fact-checking by Jess Sheldahl. Gabe Sweeney is our sound designer.

By October 2021, all of Montana was in severe drought — the worst the state had seen in decades. But Montana has seen bad dry spells before, forcing ranchers, farmers, conservationists and recreators to confront a collective dilemma: when water is in short supply, how can there be enough for everyone?    BONUS LINKS: Find out more about Montana's new draft drought management plan here. Go here for more on arctic grayling and the effort to protect them.   Shared State a podcast from Montana Free Press, Montana Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio. This episode was reported by Shaylee Ragar and edited by Nicky Ouellet. It was produced by Mara Silvers and hosted by Nick Mott. Editorial assistance from Corin Cates-Carney, Nadya Faulx, and Brad Tyer. Fact-checking by Jess Sheldahl. Gabe Sweeney is our sound designer.

A Yellowstone County District Court judge late last week temporarily blocked three new laws that restrict access to abortion just hours before they were set to go into effect. Montana Public Radio's Shaylee Ragar talked with Montana Free Press's Mara Silvers and the Montana State News Bureau's Holly Michaels about what happened and what's still up in the air.

Today's guest is Amanda Eggert of Montana Free Press. Amanda covers environmental issues and has written a series of deeply reported articles about the complex and confusing access and ownership issues in Montana's Crazy Mountains. The Crazies are a magnificent, wild, sacred and mysterious island range in central Montana. Transcript here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uu7zSyiM-gVWtx2SooQSYFF4dlTajhL4Db1B7QjLApo/edit?usp=sharing

A 15-year-old patient died by suicide earlier this year while under the care of Shodair Children's Hospital in Helena. A state health department report released to Montana Free Press outlines insufficient staffing and inadequate monitoring in the hospital's residential psychiatric unit may have contributed to the child's death in May.

The 67th session of the Montana Legislature adjourned sine die Thursday, April 29.  During lawmakers' 80 days of work, 1,313 bills were introduced and as of mid-day Friday at least 302 had been signed into law.  In the final episode of The Session, Reporters from Montana Free Press, Yellowstone Public Radio and Montana Public Radio break down the outcomes.

The campaign rhetoric, struggles for political power and results of the 2020 election converge in the 67th meeting of the Montana legislature. Join us for The Session, a breakdown of the latest action we're watching in the Montana statehouse, produced by Montana Public Radio, Yellowstone Public Radio and Montana Free Press.

The first rule of investigative journalism is: follow the money. But tracking spending this election cycle is trickier than ever before. Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John Adams tracks the ways corruption has shaped Montana, starting in the early days, when mining drove the state’s economy and politics. That legacy still plays out today, as politicians and watchdogs grapple with increasingly complex ways of hiding the sources of political spending and advertising.

Some election-relevant bonus content for you today! Shared State is a new podcast collaboratively produced by Montana Public Radio, Yellowstone Public Radio and Montana Free Press. It's an important exploration of the critical issues facing Montanans during the 2020 election. Editor Nick Mott and Host Sarah Aronson join Justin to introduce Epsiode 7. More on Shared State: If you've turned on the TV in Montana recently, you've probably been bombarded with advertisements propping up or tearing down candidates for political office. Each contender claims they're the best choice to uphold "Montana values."But what does that mean? Who is that promise for? And how do those unspoken values shape Montana's politics? In the new podcast Shared State, Montana Free Press, Montana Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio will bring listeners along for a deeper look at the most important issues on the ballot. The nine-episode series debuts Sept. 8, 2020 and will culminate just before Election Day.Listen on air Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. on Montana Public Radio or Thursdays at 6 p.m. on Yellowstone Public Radio.

Hi all, Richest Hill host Nora Saks here. I wanted to pop in real quick to let you know that episode 9, which we're calling 'Butte never says die,' is almost done and will be out very soon. In the mean time, I want to tell you about another podcast coming your way. It's called Shared State and it's a collaboration between Montana Public Radio, Yellowstone Public Radio and Montana Free Press. It's the first time we're all doing something together like this, and it's worth your time.

While the MT Lowdown is on hiatus, Montana Free Press, Montana Public Radio, and Yellowstone Public Radio have teamed up to bring you a new podcast about the real issues behind the campaign rhetoric.  Equality of opportunity. The blessings of liberty. A clean and healthful environment. These are the values codified in Montana’s constitution, values candidates in the upcoming 2020 election say they’re most prepared to defend. But behind the political promises and rhetoric, there are actual policies up for debate.  What do candidates mean when they stump about “Montana values?” Who is that promise for? And how do those unspoken values shape Montana’s politics? From what it means to be a “real Montanan,” to voter access, to public land, to rugged individualism, Shared State will bridge history, politics, and the daily reality of Montanans as we approach a landmark election. This is Shared State. 

Every election cycle, politicians flaunt their Montana roots—or attack their opponents for their lack of them. This focus on so-called "authenticity" might make voters laugh or roll their eyes, but it's just the surface layer of a complicated dynamic. For some, it's supposedly a way to figure out who's trustworthy, who's acting in the public interest, and who doesn't belong. Montana Free Press's Brad Tyer explores this popular trope in Montana politics, and asks: when we say "We the people of Montana," who do we really mean?

In case you haven't been turning on the TV or opening the paper, we're in the thick of campaign season and there are big, competitive races up and down the ticket, some of which could flip the governor's office red or turn our whole congressional delegation blue. Money is pouring into these races from around the country, and the stakes are high. But this election is also about something deeper: What the candidates say they care about and how those ideas could impact the rest of us. From Montana Public Radio, Yellowstone Public Radio and Montana Free Press, this is Shared State , a podcast about what's driving Montana's 2020 elections and where the outcomes could lead us.

This fall, we’re going deep into our political landscape — from Montana’s constitution to the current candidates running for office, and why this election matters.  From the newsrooms of Yellowstone Public Radio, Montana Public Radio and Montana Free Press, this is Shared State a podcast about what’s driving Montana’s 2020 elections, and where the outcomes could lead us.  Listen on our websites, or wherever you get your podcasts, in September.

In the wake of George Floyd’s killing by police in Minneapolis, Black Lives Matter protests have surged across the country. Montana has been no exception, with residents planning rallies and marches in several towns and cities over the last few weeks. In the first of two special audio reports, Montana Free Press reporter Mara Silvers explores the challenges of organizing protests against police brutality and racism in a state that is roughly 90% white and 1% Black.

Last week Montana election officials tallied ballots in the June 2 primary. The fields are now set for November’s general election, and voters are already getting a taste of the nominees’ strategies as they march toward November. This year’s primary was notable for being the first election in Montana history to be conducted entirely by mail-in ballot — a safety precaution in light of COVID-19. The all-mail balloting set a new state record for voter engagement in a primary election, with 65% of registered voters casting votes. Republicans may be particularly pleased with the turnout, as some 74,000 more people cast ballots in the GOP primary than voted in Democratic races. But that’s not to say Republican candidates are a lock in the general election. Montana has a long history of ticket-splitting, with voters often choosing general election candidates from both parties. This week, Montana Free Press published a series of articles profiling the matchups for U.S. Senate and U.S. House, statewide races for governor and attorney general, and the primary results’ implications for the balance of power in the state Legislature between conservative and more moderate Republicans. MTFP capped off that reporting with a roundtable discussion with reporters Eric Dietrich, Mara Silvers and Alex Sakariassen, with editor-in-chief John S. Adams moderating. The conversation offers insights into how the nominees were able to best their primary challengers, and presents a preview of the general election campaigns to come. The conversation is featured on the latest installment of the Montana Lowdown podcast, a weekly publication of Montana Free Press.

“Be aware that anyone who votes for this bill is going to need to answer to the people back home, without a doubt.” So said Republican Brad Tschida, majority leader of the Montana House of Representatives, speaking against fellow Republican Rep. Ed Buttrey’s bill to renew Medicaid expansion in late March of the 2019 legislative session. Tschida, a leader in the hardline conservative GOP faction that refers to itself as the .38 Special, warned that a political reckoning would come for Republicans who helped pass the bill that gave nearly 100,000 Montanans access to health care coverage. With the support of a loose group of pragmatic Republican lawmakers who call themselves the Solutions Caucus, Buttrey’s bill ultimately passed and became law. With at least 12 Republican legislators facing contested primaries on Tuesday, June 2, Montana voters will soon know if that reckoning has come. Last week, Montana Free Press published a four-part series exploring how the campaigns between at-odds Republicans are playing out. The first installment took a data-focused look at which incumbent seats look to be competitive in 2020, and three subsequent articles profiled the higher-profile Republican primary races: the Bitterroot’s Senate District 44 contest between Nancy Ballance and Theresa Manzella; the contest for the Flathead’s House District 35 between incumbent Derek Skees and first-time candidate Dee Kirk-Boon; and eastern Montana’s House District 11, where incumbent Joel Krautter faces a challenge from political newcomer Brandon Ler. To cap off the reporting, Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams hosted the project’s reporters for a roundtable discussion exploring shared themes from the three races. MTFP staffers Mara Silvers and Eric Dietrich and freelance reporter Alex Sakariassen joined Adams for a special weekend installment of the Montana Lowdown podcast, a weekly publication of Montana Free Press.

“Don’t hold the fact that I’m doing a great job in Congress against me. I mean, for me, this is about, ‘Where can I have the most positive impact, with the skills I’ve been given, for the most folks?’” says Greg Gianforte, he presumptive frontrunner in the Republican primary for governor.  Gianforte’s pursuit of the highest office in Montana rather than a second term in the U.S. House of Representatives has rankled some fellow Montana Republicans, including primary opponents Attorney General Tim Fox and state Sen. Al Olszewski. Fox in particular has indicated he doesn’t think Gianforte can win against the Democratic nominee in November’s general election. As Montanans confront fears of a recession, Gianforte, an entrepreneur who sold his Bozeman-based tech company RightNow Technologies to Oracle for $1.8 billion in 2011, seeks to convince voters that his business acumen will translate to a strong economic recovery. “Even before this crisis occurred, we didn’t have the strongest economy, we weren’t providing opportunities that allowed Montanans to stay here,” Gianforte tells Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams. “And that’s got to be the focus of the next governor.” Gianforte says that, if elected, his immediate recovery plans would include a broad lowering of taxes, a housecleaning of leadership at many state agencies, and a “top-to-bottom regulatory review across all state agencies.”  Both Fox and Olszewski, in separate prior interviews, have chided Gianforte for what they call his lack of conservative credentials. Both criticized his voting record in Congress, with Olszewski pointing to Gianforte’s lifetime score of 70% from the American Conservative Union.  Answering the criticism, Gianforte points to several House bills he’s carried that he says advance the interests of Montanans, and notes that his campaign funding comes from all corners of the state. Gianforte has outraised Fox, his closest fundraising competitor, by more than 4 to 1.  While Gianforte has high name recognition statewide, he’s often associated with an assault he committed on a Guardian reporter on election night in 2017. The incident became a national flashpoint at a time when Americans were watching President Donald Trump launch verbal attacks on the media on a near-daily basis. For some, the wound was reopened when Gianforte stood next to Trump at a 2018 campaign rally. Asked how he envisions a gubernatorial relationship with the Montana press corps, Gianforte tells Adams, “My administration will certainly make ourselves available to the media, and we’re not going to shy away from hard questions, because I think the people have a right to know.” He adds, “The ultimate goal is to shine a light on government to make sure people have enough knowledge to pick the leaders they want.” Questioned about his initial statement after the assault, when he indicated that the reporter, not Gianforte, had instigated the assault — an allegation he later walked back — Gianforte says, “Just like everybody else, I’m not perfect … The people of Montana have moved on, and I think you should judge me by my actions since then.” Gianforte is featured on the latest episode of the Montana Lowdown podcast, a weekly publication of Montana Free Press.

“Most people don’t even know what positions Gov. Bullock stands for,” says John Mues, Bullock’s lone competition in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat currently occupied by Republican Sen. Steve Daines. Mues entered the race early in the campaign cycle, while the term-limited governor was running for president and pledging his lack of interest in the Senate seat. Bullock’s presidential campaign was fueled by his experience as a successful Democratic governor in a rural state with an established ability to work across the aisle. He ultimately withdrew from the presidential field and then reversed himself, filing to run for the Senate race on March 9 — the last possible day to enter the race. While fellow Democratic Senate candidates including Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins and public health professional Cora Neumann quickly exited the race, offering immediate endorsements of Bullock, who quickly surged into competitiveness with Daines, Mues has remained committed to his campaign, despite his relative lack of funding and name recognition. Mues says he’s not worried about his lack of prior political experience, saying, “I don’t place the same premium on political service. My ideal is that people circulate between the private sector, the nonprofit sector and government service.”  Mues says he hopes to leverage his Montana roots and diverse professional background to convince voters that his vision for economic recovery can offer a strong alternative to Daines in the November general election.  “I think we should really think out of the box, economically,” Mues tells Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams. He says he supports a long-term and widespread waiver of expenses for households and businesses. Pressed for details, he acknowledges that the idea would require compromise to make it through Congress. Mues also sees ample opportunity for Montana’s energy sector to be a driving force in the state’s economic recovery. A former nuclear engineer who has direct experience with fossil fuel and renewable energy systems, he says Montana has both ample space for energy storage grids and a unique opportunity to develop hydrogen power. He regards the coal-powered Colstrip plant as a potentially major player in the global energy market, telling Adams, “We’re probably going to need some public investment, some infrastructural investments, to make all of this happen. But we need to get going.” “The number one priority here is to beat Senator Daines,” Mues says. “I believe that we can run a more progressive platform and actually have better results than we’ve been having as Democrats.” Mues’s interview is featured on the latest episode of the Montana Lowdown podcast, a weekly publication of Montana Free Press.

Matt Rosendale points to his record as state auditor and his prior stint in the Montana Legislature as evidence that he’s the best Republican candidate in the race for Montana’s lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. “I’ve shown that I can get conservative results while being fiscally responsible and a good steward of the taxpayers’ dollars, and I’d like to do the same thing in Congress,” Rosendale tells Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams. “I think we have to restore some fiscal sanity to the federal government. I can do it.” As the state commissioner of securities and insurance, Rosendale regulates the insurance industry in Montana, and he says his actions during the coronavirus pandemic are an example of competent leadership during a crisis. He discusses his efforts to protect vulnerable seniors from exploitation scams and help consumers facing insurance gaps obtain new or continued coverage. Rosendale also talks about his stance on the Affordable Care Act and his support for President Donald Trump, whom he credits for national economic resiliency.  “I am so thrilled that the foundations of this economy were so strong going into this, or I can tell you something, we would be in a depression,” Rosendale says. “The only reason that we have $1.25 billion that’s being spent in the state right now to help our business is because of President Trump.” Rosendale also responds to criticisms, including one leveled by his Republican primary opponent Joe Dooling, that his campaign’s reliance on funding by out-of-state PACs like the Club For Growth puts him out of touch with everyday Montanans.  “My priorities are determined by the people of Montana, and what they elected me to do. And I’ve been very effective at it,” Rosendale says. Rosendale also responds to a 2018 Montana Free Press story that explores his role in dropping state charges against a bail bond and insurance company whose owners had contributed $13,000 to his prior campaigns. Rosendale says that, as auditor, he generally accepts the recommendations of his legal team.  “It’s just that simple,” Rosendale says. Rosendale has a wide fundraising lead in the crowded Republican primary, followed by Secretary of State Corey Stapleton. Democratic frontrunner Kathleen Williams has outraised Rosendale by about $300,000, according to the latest campaign finance filings. Rosendale’s interview is featured on the latest episode of the Montana Lowdown podcast, a weekly publication of Montana Free Press.

There are two big takeaways from a poll released this week by Montana State University: Montanans are definitely concerned about economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Steve Daines looks to be very much in play now that Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock has been able to capitalize on a statewide pandemic response that has, thus far, yielded relatively favorable results. The timing of Bullock’s entry into the race appears fairly auspicious. As Mike Dennison, chief political reporter for the Montana Television Network, puts it, “He gets in on the last day, March 9; he raised $3.3 million in three weeks; the pandemic hits; he’s in the news every single day.” Dennison notes that Bullock’s official responses to the pandemic have been largely based on the recommendations of public health experts, and adds, “He’s getting incredible exposure, and not spending a single dime of his campaign money doing it. It’s just a real political bonanza for Gov. Bullock.” But how to account for another finding of the poll: that Montanans still favor re-election of President Donald Trump over the presumptive Democratic nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden? “A lot of the attitudes toward Trump are already baked in, regardless of what it is. But if there’s anxiety, that anxiety needs to be expressed somewhere, and it seems to be expressed elsewhere, down-ballot, at least in our senate numbers,” says Dr. David Parker, head of Montana State University’s Department of Political Science, which helped organize the poll. So how might the pandemic — and state and federal efforts to respond to it with stay-at-home orders, stimulus checks and relief funds — ultimately impact voter preferences? And how might Montana’s top U.S. Senate candidates tailor their messages to reach voters who are leery of misinformation and false narratives as the nation seeks a return to normalcy? Dennison thinks it will come down to the candidates’ records. He tells Adams, “I really think the race is going to be fought out on how each of them has responded to this pandemic, and also, what is their record? What is Steve Bullock’s record as governor? What is Steve Daines’ record as senator?” Dennison and Parker are featured on this week’s episode of the Montana Lowdown podcast, a weekly publication of Montana Free Press hosted by editor-in-chief John S. Adams.

The COVID-19 pandemic may have brought many aspects of daily life to a halt, but Montana’s June 2 primary election is steadily approaching. While this year’s candidates launched their campaigns under relatively normal circumstances, facing off on issues including health care, prescription drug prices, public lands and jobs, the public health crisis has dramatically transformed the political, economic and social landscapes that will be at the forefront of voters’ minds when they begin mailing in their ballots.  “We’re going to see, probably, some very interesting things happening as a result of COVID. I think Montanans are going to be very interested in making sure the next governor isn’t going to have to be trained on the job,” says Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney, one of two Democrats vying for their party’s nomination for November’s general election. “And when I’m elected, on day one, I will be able to hit the ground running.” Cooney and his primary opponent, Missoula businesswoman Whitney Williams, staked out similar policy positions prior to the pandemic. But the economic downturn caused by COVID closures has offered Cooney, who began his political career in the early 1970s, an opportunity to highlight his years of experience in both the legislative and executive branches of government, characterizing that experience as a vital asset at a time when the public may be looking for steady leadership to guide the state’s recovery.  In separate interviews with Montana Free Press, both Cooney and Williams anticipated that Republican Rep. Greg Gianforte will be the Republican nominee. To that point, Cooney notes his presence on the 2016 Democratic ticket, with Gov. Steve Bullock, that bested Gianforte’s first gubernatorial bid.  “I’ve already been on a team that’s beaten Greg Gianforte, and I think that’s going to be very important when it comes to the primary election,” Cooney says. “We want somebody who’s going to be successful in November.” Asked whether a Cooney administration would be a continuation of Bullock’s, Cooney said he intends to forge his own path: “It will be a Cooney administration. It’s not going to just be a Bullock 2.0.” Cooney’s conversation with Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams is featured on the latest episode of the Montana Lowdown podcast, a weekly publication of Montana Free Press.

Gov. Steve Bullock is expected to unveil plans this week to begin lifting the statewide stay-at-home order and business restrictions, even as Montana saw its first public demonstration against the current restrictions on Sunday. Many public health experts say a return to normalcy will require mass testing, along with robust contact tracing, so health officials can rapidly respond to any spikes in COVID-19 infections, which are expected once restrictions begin to ease.  How does contact tracing work? And how can we gauge when Montana is ready to begin lifting restrictions? Matt Kelley, health officer for the Gallatin City-County Health Department, tells freelance journalist Emily Stifler Wolfe, “Contact tracing is the central weapon that we use to find cases and throw a blanket over that case in a way that reduces the risk of exposure.” On April 17, Montana Free Press published Wolfe’s story “How contact tracing slows the spread — and why getting Montana back to work requires more of it.” Wolfe is our guest on this week’s Montana Lowdown podcast, where she talks about what she learned while reporting the piece with host and Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams.

As Montana enters its fifth consecutive week of quarantine, many households are feeling the strain of isolation, fear and anxiety. Professionals are warning about increased incidents of domestic violence and sexual assault, while even safe households are experiencing unique stresses related to parenting. In response to these concerns, Montana Free Press is publishing this episode of the weekly Montana Lowdown podcast focused on resources for victims of domestic and sexual violence, as well as parenting tips from childcare experts.   Pandemic Exacerbates Abusive Behavior Echoing concerns shared in national publications, local professionals are reporting that the quarantine is exacerbating abusive behavior.  “Abusers use isolation as a way to maintain power and control. And when we see increased stresses at home, a lot of times that also can be a contributing factor for violence,” says Jenny Eck, executive director of The Friendship Center, a Helena-based nonprofit that provides resources to victims of domestic and sexual violence. Eck tells Lowdown host John S. Adams that abusers can exploit the pandemic by withholding items like hand sanitizer or masks, preventing victims from seeking medical attention or support from friends and family, and withholding insurance information. While there is some relief coming to Montana’s victims of domestic violence — the federal CARES Act package includes $45 million in funding for crisis centers — Kelsen Young, executive director of the Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence warns that “it will probably be another month or two” before the state’s allocation makes its way to program coffers.  Young adds that abuse victims are seeing another novel limit in their ability to find safe harbor, as many hotels that previously opened their doors to victims are now being more strict about filling vacancies. As Young tells Adams, “We are hearing that some hotels are refusing to take people that are [exposed to the virus].” Simultaneously, established shelters are limiting the number of people they take in during the pandemic to minimize the risk of viral transmission. Both Eck and Young note that there are ways for Montanans to help. Eck suggests, “It’s really important that you stay in touch. Try to help [victims] have access to a safe way of communicating.” And for those Montanans who are able to offer financial support, Young says, “Domestic violence shelters would be a great place” to donate.   Parenting In A Pandemic Emotionally healthy households are facing their own stresses, with many parents having to balance a dearth of childcare options with professional obligations or new fears about lost wages. Lowdown producer Alex McKenzie, a new parent to a 7-month-old child, interviewed Wisconsin-based Dr. Laura Froyen, whose work focuses on human development and family studies, and Portland, Oregon-based Tracey Biebel, a licensed clinical social worker and podcaster whose work is focused on “practical parenting and practical living.” One theme repeated throughout both interviews is that there is no universal approach to parenting under quarantine. While some parents are able to take advantage of the recently passed Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which offers expanded family or paid medical leave for certain situations, many other parents are left to balance expert advice on social distancing measures with the realities of their childcare needs. Asked about the prudence of designating a single person, like a grandparent or other relative, to provide care for a young child during the pandemic, Froyen suggested making an “exclusivity arrangement” in which the childcare provider will not be taking care of any other children, and will otherwise refrain from interaction with the outside world. “You are going to socially isolate, together,” Froyen says. For older children, Biebel suggests a more conservative approach. While she acknowledges that different scenarios may work better for individual families, she cautions that allowing a teenager to have exclusive social interactions with a friend may create a slippery slope. “If you allow one friend, then they’re like, ‘Well, what about the other friend?” She says the issues with teenagers is rooted in a lack of critical thinking skills: “The brain development just isn’t there yet,” she says Froyen and Biebel also weigh in on topics including screen time, the importance of structure during quarantine, and how to communicate about the pandemic to small children without triggering anxiety. Another shared view between Froyen and Biebel involves lowered parental expectations during the pandemic. Froyen suggests that parents offer themselves “lots of grace and compassion, room to make mistakes, and to repair them.” Biebel advises parents to “just sit in it and let it pass, because it will.”   Resources: Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence https://mcadsv.com/   National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233   National Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-656-4673   The Friendship Center https://www.thefriendshipcenter.org/ 406-442-6800

“It’s like a response to a lot of crises. That is, it’s big and it’s immediate, but it’s probably full of a lot of loopholes.” So says former Montana Senator Max Baucus, assessing the $2T economic relief package recently passed by U.S. Congress in response to the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. He adds, “We’re probably going to see a lot of inefficiencies, and a lot of people taking advantage of the situation, at the expense of Americans.” For close to 40 years, Max Baucus represented Montana in Congress, before serving as the U.S. Ambassador to China under President Barack Obama.  Baucus was Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee during the 2008 financial crisis, and was a key figure in the creation of legislative measures, signed by both President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama, that ultimately stabilized the U.S. economy in the aftermath of the subprime mortgage meltdown that crippled global markets. Senator Baucus then witnessed the populist aftermath of that legislation in the rise of the conservative Tea Party, and the birth of the liberal Occupy Wallstreet movement.  He was a chief architect of the Affordable Care Act, which enabled more than 20 million people to access health care, but came at a great political expense to Democrats who faced conservative backlash at the polls in many states.  Now out of politics and living back home in Montana, Baucus is watching a new world unfold as inefficiencies in the U.S. healthcare system are laid bare as the coronavirus pandemic takes its toll on American lives and the global economy.  In February, Baucus endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden’s bid for the Democratic nomination to the Presidency, and he now says he sees a need for bipartisan leadership in Washington, telling Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams, “The recent partisanship in Washington has stymied any efficient action” on the pandemic and resultant economic turmoil.” And while some are questioning the White House’s response to the pandemic, Baucus levels a somewhat more measured criticism of the Trump administration: “I’m not blaming Donald Trump personally, but I do think, in our form of government, when there’s a crisis, it’s the Chief Executive that’s got to step up.” Baucus’s interview with Adams is featured in the latest episode of the Montana Lowdown podcast, a publication of Montana Free Press.

In today's episode: The latest statistics on cases in Montana Gov. Steve Bullock announces two measures aimed at helping those experiencing financial stress Montana announces it will cover the costs of referrals, and in some cases testing, for those who are uninsured and suspect they may have contracted the virus The U.S. Department of Commerce will suspend the census until April 1 Gubernatorial campaigns go digital Tourism industry and travel-relates businesses anticipate big losses State will extend drivers' license renewals Montana Free Press solicits calls from freelance reporters We want to know what you want us to cover in this crisis We update you on we're evolving our coverage of the coronavirus in Montana

“I think it’s a universe that I don’t really know how to gauge. It’s just something that we’ve never dealt with.” So says Lee Newspapers capital reporter Holly Michels, as she tries to make sense of the evolving 2020 political field through the lens of the coronavirus issue. Montana’s March 9 candidacy filing deadline momentarily grabbed national headlines when two-term Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock entered the race for the U.S. Senate, challenging Republican incumbent Sen. Steve Daines. But while the matchup was widely regarded as an opportunity for Democrats to flip a Senate seat, those headlines were quickly buried under breaking news. The next day the presidential primary election entered a new phase, with former Vice President Joe Biden winning in several key state primaries, pulling ahead of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the race for the Democratic nomination. The dust was still settling on that story when the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic, triggering a wave of cancelled events, school closings, and regulations about public gatherings in a growing list of cities nationally and statewide.  Public appearances by President Donald Trump were widely panned as failing to instill public confidence in the face of a national crisis. Stocks plunged, spurring the Federal Reserve to drop interest rates to 0% on Sunday in an effort to stave off a major financial crisis. The June primary approaches, now with myriad questions about how Montana’s elections might be impacted by the pandemic. In an interview with Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams, elections analyst Kyle Kondik, of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, says he expects to see a wave of out-of-state campaign spending on Montana’s senate seat.  Kondik tells Adams, “Republicans have to look at [the seat] as an absolute must-hold.” He adds that, given Trump’s widely criticized response to the pandemic, defending his seat could prove more challenging for Daines, a staunch Trump supporter.  “I’m more hesitant to suggest that coronavirus may not matter in the fall, because it’s something that’s already affecting so many people, just in terms of disruptions to their daily lives,” Kondik says. Michels’s and Kondik’s conversations with Adams are featured in the latest episode of the Montana Lowdown podcast, a publication of Montana Free Press.

As financial markets reel amidst the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, journalist Dexter Roberts is looking to the Chinese economy for signs of things to come. Roberts is an award-winning journalist who spent more than 20 years reporting from Beijing, where he served as the China bureau chief and Asia News Editor at Bloomberg Businessweek. A Montana native, Roberts’ journalistic career spanned a period of rapid transformation and explosive economic growth in China, during which he reported on the country’s economy, politics, agriculture, and more. Roberts, who now serves as a fellow at the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center at the University of Montana, is promoting his new book, The Myth Of Chinese Capitalism: The Worker, the Factory, and the Future of the World. The book makes the case that Chinese policies are actually restricting economic growth and contributing to widening class disparity. “The myth, in sort of a nutshell, is that China is on an inexorable path toward a vastly expanded middle class,” Roberts tells Montana Free Press founder John S. Adams. But the economic reality doesn’t support that popular narrative, according to Roberts, who argues that “China is getting old before it gets rich,” and that the country is “relegating close to half [its] population to second-class status.” Roberts also sees compounding problems in the country’s initial response to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, telling Adams that, on the heels of President Donald Trump’s trade wars, the outbreak has the potential to upend the world economy for the foreseeable future. And he anticipates that the tumult could be felt here in Montana.  “For a state like Montana, which has a large reliance on agriculture, there is a very obvious fit with China’s growth,” Roberts says. “I would be ready for the potential of real disruption in the economy going forward.” Roberts’ conversation with Adams is featured in the latest episode of the Montana Lowdown podcast, a weekly publication of Montana Free Press.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Whitney Williams may be running her first campaign for public office, but she’s no political neophyte. Her father, Pat Williams, served two terms in the Montana House, and nine in the U.S. House of Representatives. Her mother, Carol Williams, was the first woman majority leader in the Montana Senate.  Williams started her own career in the White House, where she worked in the office of First Lady Hillary Clinton, before launching a philanthropic consulting business that works with governments, NGOs, and Fortune 500 companies. Williams positions herself as a job creator and problem solver in her bid to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock.  Williams is in a two-way primary with Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney. Asked to draw a distinction between herself and Cooney, Williams tells Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams that voters, “[are] going to have a choice of someone who is a little different, someone who’s a business person, who has a fresh perspective, who has a skill set managing multimillion dollar budgets, creating companies, creating jobs.” At a recent candidate forum in Bozeman, Williams and Cooney staked out similar policy positions, including publicly funded pre-K, protection of public lands, and affordability of prescription drugs. In her interview with Adams, Williams expands on the initiatives she would pursue if elected to office, including strategies to cap prescription drug prices.  “Forty percent of Montanans say they choose between putting food on the table and filling a prescription,” Williams said. “Montanans are, I think, fed up with this idea that the federal government is going to solve this problem for us, because they’re not.”  Williams’s conversation with Adams is featured on the Montana Lowdown podcast, a weekly publication of Montana Free Press.

Attorney General Tim Fox is deploying primary opponent Greg Gianforte’s own polling, and the incumbent U.S. representative’s grading by conservative groups, in his bid for the Republican nomination for Montana governor. Using the results of the 2016 election as a predictor of his ability to appeal to Montana voters, Fox tells Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams, “I got 96,000 more votes than Greg Gianforte, even though 17,000 fewer people voted in the attorney general race than did in the governor’s race.” Fox ran successfully for re-election in 2016, while Gianforte made an unsuccessful bid for governor. Gianforte later won a special election as Montana’s sole representative in the U.S. House in 2017, and was re-elected in 2018.   No Republican has held the governorship since Judy Martz left office in January 2005, and the party is eager to change that in 2020. Fox thinks he’s the best candidate to reclaim the office for the GOP in November. But first he’ll have to get past Gianforte and Sen. Al Olszewski of Kalispell in a three-way primary.  While Fox acknowledges the accomplishments of his primary opponents, he says the most important question facing Republican primary voters is: who is the most electable candidate to face off against the eventual Democratic nominee? Barring the entry of a new Democratic candidate between now and the March 9 filing deadline, that will be either current Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney or Missoula businesswoman Whitney Williams. Fox claims voters have a negative perception of Gianforte that could pose a liability for the party in November, telling Adams, “He has nearly 100% name ID, and he can only muster 53%, if we believe his poll is true, of the Republican vote. Why is that? Because his negatives are so high, even among Republicans.” Fox is also critical of Gianforte’s voting record, arguing that national conservative groups including the American Conservative Union, Conservative Review, and Club For Growth have “given Greg Gianforte Ds and Fs for his votes and lack of conservatism in Congress.” Fox will be termed out in 2021 after two terms as Montana’s top lawyer, and he highlights his accomplishments on issues including human trafficking, substance use, and his legal challenge of a Washington state law blocking the export of Montana coal as reasons voters should trust him as an advocate. Fox tells Adams that he brought 51 agency bills to the Montana Legislature, “and 49 of those were passed overwhelmingly and signed into law. That’s unprecedented for an executive branch leader.”  Fox’s conversation with Adams is featured on the Montana Lowdown podcast, a weekly publication of Montana Free Press.

This week, Patagonia Films premiered the documentary feature Public Trust at the 17th annual Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Missoula. The film examines how private interests, especially extractive industries, are attempting to undermine America’s public lands legacy. The film focuses on three specific conflicts at Utah’s Bears Ears National Monument, Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Wilderness, and northeastern Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The film prominently features Hal Herring, an award-winning journalist and Montana resident who has spent more than two decades working in, and writing about, public lands in the American West. Herring tells Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams, “We should understand that there is a movement afoot to privatize the American public lands, and we should know what those [lands] are before we come down on one side or another in that debate. And we should know who’s driving that debate, and what is at stake for us, and our children and grandchildren.” The public lands issue has become a rallying point for the Democratic Party in the American West. But while Herring supports the concept of public lands, he’s also sometimes critical of Democratic approaches to the issue, noting that sweeping changes such as the Bill Clinton-era roadless rule and Barack Obama’s Bears Ears National Monument designation have been undertaken without making the case to citizens. As Herring tells Adams, “I’m convinced that we can not leave environmental and conservation eggs in the basket of one party.” He pushes back on ideological public-lands stances taken by Democrats and Republicans alike, saying the parties “need to horse trade.” He also suggests that the issue presents a unique opportunity for conservative political candidates, saying he’s “waiting for a kind of quiet revolution in conservative America to come to solving environmental problems in the future.” Herring and Adams also discuss the history of the American public lands movement, from the aftermath of the Mexican-American War through the privatization ideology promoted by President Ronald Reagan, which continues to resonate. Herring’s conversation with Adams was recorded on the eve of the film’s public premiere. The Montana Lowdown podcast is a weekly publication of Montana Free Press.

This week, freelance journalist Kathleen McLaughlin published a story in the Washington Post detailing Butte, Montana’s collective anxiety about a long-awaited and finally forthcoming consent decree that will lay out the final phase of cleanup of Butte’s expansive Superfund site. Publication of the legally binding document has been repeatedly delayed with little explanation, but is currently set for Thursday, Feb. 13, pending final review by the U.S. Department of Justice. As McLaughlin tells Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams, “I think the EPA and the city are going to have … a big job ahead of them selling [the consent decree] to the community when the community wasn’t publicly involved in the discussions.” For more than 20 years, Montana native McLaughlin has reported on inequality and marginalized communities in the American West and Asia. After more than a decade in China, McLaughlin recently moved back to her hometown of Butte, where the environmental consequences of decades of copper mining remain an ongoing issue. McLaughlin also talks about her career arc as a journalist, and the uncomfortable parallels between the Chinese government’s treatment of journalists and the way some American politicians undermine the free press for political purposes.  “Political leaders who jump on this bandwagon of yelling about ‘fake news’ are giving away one of the pillars of our [democratic] system,” McLaughin says.  She also talks about how her experience in China during the 2003 SARS epidemic informs her understanding of the Chinese government’s current reporting on the coronavirus. McLaughlin’s’ interview with Adams is featured on the latest installment of the Montana Lowdown podcast, a weekly publication of Montana Free Press.

Lee Newspapers Capitol reporter Holly Michels thought she was covering a relatively mundane event last Friday at the Montana Republican Party’s Winter Kickoff event in Helena. Former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke had just wrapped up his address to party faithful and was taking questions from the audience when a Republican state legislator from Billings made a comment that would quickly overshadow the news cycle. As Michels tells Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams, Rep. Rodney Garcia “started by saying that socialists were infiltrating the government, taking over. He said there are socialists everywhere in Billings. And then he said, you know, the Constitution says that we should either shoot or jail them. And there was some pretty awkward, uncomfortable laughter in the room.” The incident earned national headlines, as well as a call from state GOP leadership for Garcia’s resignation. (Garcia has declined.) The unexpected scoop also gives Michels an opportunity to reflect on how the journalism business has changed since she first came to the profession. With fewer daily newspaper reporters responsible for covering more and more news, she says, it’s become “kind of a luxury” for journalists to attend run-of-the-mill events like the Winter Kickoff with no guarantee of a newsworthy story for their work. Garcia’s unanticipated comments and the viral response they generated reinforce the value of having reporters on the scene. Adams and Michels also talk about her analysis of what’s shaping up to be a very competitive — and expensive — 2020 governor’s race. Michels’ interview with Adams is featured on the latest installment of the Montana Lowdown podcast, a weekly publication of the Montana Free Press.

Republican candidate for Secretary of State Bowen Greenwood says if he’s elected one of his first priorities will be to increase voter registration across the state.  As Greenwood tells Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams: “The state’s elections office can be operated as a neutral party, and go out to fairs, college campuses, everywhere, and register voters in a way that’s not about an advantage for one side or the other.” Greenwood, who was elected Clerk of the Montana Supreme Court in 2018, has been a key player in conservative political circles for many years. Prior to his election — in which he defeated Democrat Rex Renk by more than 40,000 votes — Greenwood has served as public information officer for the Public Service Commission, spokesman for the Montana Family Foundation, and executive director of the Montana Republican Party. Greenwood began his professional career in Montana politics in 2006 as communications director for former Republican Secretary of State Brad Johnson. While the clerk position carries a six-year term, Greenwood has set his sights on the Secretary of State’s office amidst his concerns over election security in the age of hacking and foreign interference. Greenwood says he would place a particular focus on the state’s paper ballot system. “Cybersecurity is so much more important these days,” Greenwood tells Adams, adding, “I am very much in favor of bringing an ID to vote.” Some Montanans may remember Greenwood from his days as a conservative blogger in the mid- to late-2000s. Writing under the pen name NeoMadison, Greenwood was once on the front lines of the often fiery political discourse that took place on the internet before the rise of social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. Reflecting on that period of his life, Greenwood says a 2012 spiritual encounter set him on a different rhetorical path.  “I don’t want to be that guy anymore,” says Greenwood. “I try to treat people on all sides of the aisle, understanding that they’re a creation of God, that this Democrat, this progressive, God wants them in Heaven as much as he wants me in Heaven, and they’re worthy; they’re worthy of my time and listening and respect.” Greenwood is running in the Republican primary against Senate President Scott Sales of Bozeman, current Deputy Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, and State Rep. Forrest Mandeville. The lone Democratic candidate is Missoula state Sen. Bryce Bennett. Incumbent Secretary of State Corey Stapleton is seeking the Republican nomination for Montana’s U.S. House seat. Greenwood’s comments came during a recent interview on the Montana Lowdown podcast, a weekly publication of the Montana Free Press.

Last week, state lawmakers gathered in Helena for the first-ever Legislative Week, a five-day series of training sessions, interim committee meetings, and social gatherings aimed at maintaining connections between legislators during the 20-month break they typically take between legislative sessions. Republican Sen. Fred Thomas of Stevensville was a vocal proponent of Legislative Week. Thomas has served in 12 sessions, plus a handful of special sessions, during three separate stints in the Montana Legislature, beginning with his freshman term in the House in 1985. And while Thomas supported the 1992 constitutional initiative that led to legislative term limits — citizens may serve as a state representative or senator for no more than eight years in a 16-year period — he now sees term limits as limiting the experience available to the Legislature. Thomas has a unique vantage on the question, given his lengthy experience in the Capitol. Reflecting on his third stint in the Legislature, Thomas tells Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams, “Everybody in the body was different. But the people in the hallways, the lobbyists, were very similar, and our staff, and some bureaucracy. And I thought, ‘I don’t know if this is good.’” Elsewhere in the interview, Thomas looks back on a number of highlights from his tenure in the Legislature, including his role in overhauling state tax policies and his role carrying the 1997 deregulation bill that ultimately led to the demise of the Montana Power Company — a role for which Thomas has been criticized by Democrats and the press. Regarding deregulation, Thomas says, “I probably did it because it met my basics of government: want of less government, less taxes, and less regulation, and [I] was wanting to have citizens have the ability to have lower-costing electricity.” Thomas says the deregulated power market failed to fulfill those promises due to a lack of legislative safeguards that ultimately allowed Montana Power Company to sell off assets including the Colstrip power plant and a hydroelectric dam to Pennsylvania Power and Light. Critics say fallout from those sales, including Montana Power’s investment of proceeds into a telecommunications company that would go bankrupt within five years, are directly responsible for continuing increases in energy rates for Montana residents. Thomas’ conversation with Adams is featured on the latest edition of the Montana Lowdown podcast, a weekly publication of Montana Free Press.

State lawmakers are in Helena this week for the first-ever Legislative Week, a five-day series of training sessions, interim committee meetings, and social events aimed at fostering “cross-pollination” among legislators, according to the Legislature’s website. Legislative Week is born of a study resulting from the 2019 session’s Senate Bill 310, which seeks to gauge the potential of holding annual legislative sessions, rather than the current biennial session schedule. Susan Fox, executive director of the nonpartisan Legislative Services Division, joined Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams for a Montana Lowdown podcast discussion about what she expects ⁠— and does not expect ⁠— to take place during Legislative Week. Fox also reflects on her 30 years of experience working in Legislative Services, noting an increase in partisanship, and declining opportunities for new legislators to grow into leadership positions.  “[Legislators] don’t have time to mature like they used to,” she tells Adams. “And I remember in the past, leaders ... would slowly work their way up to committee chairmanship, and then they might, in another session or two, become a whip, and then become a leader. But they don’t have time to do that now — you just have to get in and start [leading].” Fox also says she’s seen a lack of understanding between those legislators tasked with drafting the state’s budget and those who develop policies, a dynamic that helped lead to the passage of Senate Bill 310.  “Budget and policy are kind of two different tracks,” Fox says. “And [legislators] really feel like it’s disjointed. The budget people don’t understand the policy people, and the policy people don’t understand the budget.” The SB 310 study explores the prospect of annual sessions with alternating focuses on the state budget and policy-related law.  Fox’s conversation with Adams is featured on this week’s Montana Lowdown Podcast, a production of Montana Free Press.

This week, Montana Free Press is closing out 2019 by looking back at some highlights from the first year of the Montana Lowdown podcast. This 2019 review episode features host and MTFP editor-in-chief John S. Adams in a conversation with the show’s producer, Alex McKenzie. The show debuted on January 7, 2019, just as the legislative session was getting underway in Helena. The first guest was Republican Rep. Nancy Ballance of Hamilton, who talked with Adams about a split among Republican lawmakers between so-called Solutions Caucus Republicans who were willing to negotiate bipartisan legislation with Democrats, and more staunchly conservative Republicans who took a more oppositional approach to Democratic legislation. The split proved to be a key part of the narrative of the 2019 session. The weekly podcast series has featured in-depth interviews with state legislators, as well as candidates seeking statewide and federal offices in 2020. A handful of nonelectoral guests, like climate scientist Steven Running and political researcher James D’Angelo, have rounded out the series. Adams says he hopes the in-depth conversations provide value for citizens beyond the brief quotes that are typically used in print news stories. “The idea was to give listeners the opportunity to hear what I hear when I’m interviewing these individuals,” he says. The MT Lowdown podcast will cease production during the holiday season, and will return with more candidate interviews in early 2020.

“I want to talk about our culture, I want to talk about the forces that drive decisions,” says Republican congressional candidate Tim Johnson. Johnson is the superintendent of Corvallis Public Schools, a job he says he plans to give up next year so he can focus on his campaign for the U.S. House. A self-described conservative Republican running a primarily self-funded campaign, Johnson currently lags behind his primary opponents in fundraising, and in name recognition, but he believes his message can resonate with voters who are tired of well-worn talking points. He tells Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams: “If you don’t have a message, in the long run it doesn’t matter how much money you spend, because the dollar bill that the candidate spends on the marketing side is not necessarily what happens in the voting booth.” Johnson also chides national Republican leaders for their continued focus on tax cuts, arguing that the issue is used to pander to voters. “We’re not putting our foot down and saying, ‘Stop spending more than what you have,’” he tells Adams. “If we continue to do what we’re doing, we’re putting that question off to our kids. And to me, that’s unethical.” The Republican primary includes five candidates vying for the state party’s nomination to challenge the eventual Democratic nominee in the general election next November.  Johnson’s conversation with Adams is featured on this week’s Montana Lowdown podcast.

Forrest Mandeville says the best way to effect progress in the Legislature is to become an expert in a specific subject. The Republican representative from Columbus has served three terms in the Montana House, starting with the 2015 session, and spent much of that time applying his professional background in land-use planning to the State Administration Committee, for which he served as committee chair the past two terms. That committee, which included 20 legislators in the 2019 session, plays a big role in crafting election laws, and if elected secretary of state, Mandeville would be responsible for implementing those laws.  In addition to overseeing state elections and business services, the secretary of state also serves on the five-member state Land Board, which administers state-owned lands for the benefit of public schools. Mandeville says that natural resource development, such as the proposed Black Butte Copper Mine near the headwaters of the Smith River, would be among his front-and-center priorities as Land Board commissioner. “We need to not be afraid of developing our natural resources,” Mandeville tells Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams. He dismisses concerns that such projects pose a threat to nearby waterways. “[I]t’s a scare tactic, honestly, to say that any mine is just going to leach a bunch of chemicals into the water system. It does not happen anymore.” Mandeville is running in the Republican primary against Senate President Scott Sales of Bozeman, current Deputy Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, and state Supreme Court clerk Bowen Greenwood. The lone Democratic candidate is Missoula state Sen. Bryce Bennett. Incumbent Secretary of State Corey Stapleton is seeking the Republican nomination for Montana’s U.S. House seat.  Asked about the challenge of campaigning against eight-term legislator Sales, Mandeville laments a lack of young conservatives running for statewide office.  “We can’t be relying on the same people to do the same things over and over and over again, because we will run out of people,” he tells Adams. Adams’ conversation with Mandeville is featured on the Dec. 10 episode of the Montana Lowdown podcast.

Montana Free Press editor Brad Tyer has watched the news business evolve throughout his three-decade career in commercial and nonprofit journalism. “Support for news-gathering organizations — the model has changed,” Tyer tells Lowdown podcast host John S. Adams, his new boss. “But ultimately, a news-gathering organization has got to be supported by people who value the news-gathering.” A longtime editor of the weekly Missoula Independent, Tyer had a hand in hiring and mentoring several up-and-coming Montana reporters, including Adams, who joined the Independent staff in 2005. Tyer edited the Indy from 2002 to 2007, and again from 2016 through 2018, having written a book about environmental justice in Montana and worked as an editor at the Texas Observer in the interim. He found himself “underemployed” when the Independent was closed in 2018. The timing turned out to be fortuitous. After a brief stint editing MTFP stories on contract from Missoula, he moved to Helena in August to join the growing MTFP staff full time, assigning and editing stories from staff and freelance reporters and developing editorial strategies for the future. He’s also taken on the role of coordinating a statewide reporting collaboration among Montana newsrooms in partnership with the Montana Newspaper Association and the Solutions Journalism Network. The project, titled Graying Pains: Challenges and Opportunities in the West’s Oldest State, will debut in early 2020.  Tyer’s pivot from editor to guest on the Lowdown podcast lets listeners eavesdrop on a conversation between longtime friends and colleagues about the importance of building mutually supportive relationships between readers and newsrooms and the daily rewards of finding new ways to thrive in a business being forced to reinvent itself.

Billings native Dr. Peter Miller says chances are good that Montana will gain a second U.S. congressional seat following the 2020 Census. Miller, a researcher at the Brennan Center For Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy institute at the New York University School of Law, has spent his career studying redistricting, voting, and elections. The United States reapportions its 435 congressional seats every 10 years on the basis of state population. While seven states could conceivably gain a seat after 2020, Miller says a variety of calculation methods point to a consistent conclusion: Montana getting a second congressional seat for the first time since the 1990s, when it lost its second seat following the 1990 Census. Miller says that as a result of steady population gains in the state, Montana’s Rep. Greg Gianforte now represents “the largest congressional district in the country.” The potential for a second seat in the Congress brings both opportunity and risk for both political parties in Montana. As Miller explains, “Every 10 years we have this moment where we adjust district lines for the purposes of accounting for population shifts. However, it’s also a means by which legislative majorities have a potential to lock themselves into power for the next 10 years.” Miller describes how this potential can differ from state to state: After a 1964 U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowed states to administer their own internal legislative boundaries, some states continued to do so via their state legislatures. Montana, however, was one of the first states to transfer the duty to a non-legislative redistricting commission, a change adopted at the state’s 1972 Constitutional Convention. The state’s Districting and Apportionment Commission consists of five members, with majority and minority members of the state House and Senate appointing one member each. Those four members collectively elect a fifth presiding officer. The commission oversees legislative boundaries for both federal and state legislatures. The process of redistricting has grown highly contentious in recent years, with battles playing out in state courts and the U.S. Supreme Court. Miller traveled the country as part of his doctoral dissertation, attending numerous redistricting-related court hearings to gain insight into the various ways states address the issue, and the extent to which citizens might influence the process. Miller talked with Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams during a Nov. 14 interview for the Montana Lowdown podcast.

Simms rancher and U.S. House candidate Matt Rains says his military service, diverse career arc, and global travels give him a unique vantage from which to address challenges facing Montana and the country at large. As Rains tells Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams, “I can speak for the agriculture, I can speak for the energy sector, I can speak for the military.” Asked whether he could work on those issues from a seat in the state Legislature, Rains — who has no prior legislative experience — says he was advised by state Democratic leadership that he would make a compelling candidate in the U.S. House race. “My voice, I feel, is absolutely best utilized at the national scale,” he says. A former West Point cadet who flew Black Hawk helicopters in South Korea and Iraq, Rains later traveled the world as a photographer, documenting humanitarian crises in Kenya, Afghanistan, and Myanmar. After returning to the U.S., he put his engineering degree to use inspecting coal and gas plants for a national energy company.  Rains returned to Montana in 2018 to help his mother run the family ranch. When Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte announced he would seek the governorship instead of running for re-election to Montana’s sole U.S. House seat, Rains said, he saw an opportunity to put his professional experiences to use in congress. As a Montana native who grew up watching his parents raise quarter horses and cattle, Rains says the primary reason he’s running for congress is to help ensure that farming and ranching remain viable options for future generations of Montanans. “We have to find a way to make sure that ranchers and farmers can prosper on the ranch, otherwise rural Montana’s going to just vanish,” he tells Adams.  To that end, Rains stresses the need for rural broadband, statewide cellular coverage, and country-of-origin labeling to help make Montana farmers and ranchers globally competitive. “There hasn’t been somebody in the House that has really been a champion for agriculture, on either party, for a while,” Rains says. Republican House candidate Joe Dooling is also campaigning on an ag-centric platform.   Rains is in a three-way primary for the Democratic nomination with 2018 nominee Kathleen Williams and state Rep. Tom Winter of Missoula. Rains’ conversation with Adams, in which he also discusses energy, climate change, health care, and rural brain drain, is featured on this week’s Montana Lowdown podcast.      

Growing up on the Flathead Indian Reservation, Shane Morigeau says, he experienced firsthand the depredations of predatory insurance and securities scams on the sick, the poor, and the systemically marginalized. Morigeau began his advocacy on behalf of those victims first as a lobbyist and attorney representing the reservation, and later in the House, where he has represented residents of northwestern Missoula’s House District 95 since the 2017 session. Morigeau is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination for state auditor, also known as commissioner of securities and insurance, the top official tasked with overseeing the insurance and securities industries in Montana. In a new interview with Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams, Morigeau draws a contrast between himself and the two Republican candidates in the race, describing commercial real estate business owner Troy Downing as “a multi-millionaire and self-funded,” and Nelly Nicol as “an insurance industry insider.” Morigeau also levels criticism at current state auditor and Republican U.S. House candidate Matt Rosendale, telling Adams, “[O]ne of the things that the auditor’s office did the last session was let the funding for several [department] jobs fizzle out.” Rosendale requested a $650,000 cut in funding for his office during the 2019 session. “I envision the auditor’s office being a watchdog consumer protection agency, where it’s going after bad-faith actors and holding them accountable,” Morigeau tells Adams. “I want to be proactive. I actually want to go out and keep people … updated as to what the current schemes are.” Morigeau says he didn’t necessarily identify with one party or another in his younger days, but chose to run for state representative in 2016 as a Democrat because he saw mostly Democratic lawmakers supporting the issues important to his community.  In 2019, Morigeau worked with House colleague Rep. Rae Peppers and state senators Frank Smith, Jason Small, and Fred Thomas to pass a package of bills aimed at combating the epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous people in Montana, garnering mostly bipartisan support. Morigeau’s conversation with Adams is featured on the Montana Lowdown podcast, a weekly publication of Montana Free Press.

Joe Dooling sees a narrow path to securing the Republican nomination for the 2020 general election for Montana’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. While he acknowledges he’s in for an uphill battle against several primary opponents who have previously held statewide offices, he also says he thinks GOP voters are becoming wary of Republican churn, and he takes aim at primary opponents State Auditor Matt Rosendale and Secretary of State Corey Stapleton for shifting their campaign sights from their incumbent offices to the House race.   Dooling’s comments came during a late-October conversation with Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams on the Montana Lowdown podcast. Dooling, a former chairman of the Lewis & Clark County Republican Central Committee, tells Adams, “[A]ll the money we raised in a two-year period of time, we spent to help get the Republicans elected to the [state] land board. And for all those guys to abandon ship in the middle, I just don’t think they should be rewarded for that behavior.” Both Rosendale and Stapleton currently serve on the land board, along with fellow Republicans Attorney General Tim Fox and Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen. Gov. Steve Bullock is the sole Democrat on the board, which administers Montana’s state-owned lands for the benefit of the public school system. Arntzen is the only board member campaigning as an incumbent in 2020, and is currently running in an unopposed primary against lone Democratic challenger Melissa Romano. All other current board members are campaigning for new offices, creating an opportunity for a significant land board shake-up after the general election. Dooling says his political ambition stops at the House seat, telling Adams, “I don’t have the desire to be the governor, I don’t have the desire to be a senator. I’m just going to be the congressman, and when I’m done being a congressman, I’m going to go back to the farm that Julie and I built in the Helena valley.” Dooling’s wife, Julie, is a Republican state representative serving House District 70. The 2019 session marked her first term in the Legislature. Dooling also criticizes the Rosendale campaign for benefitting from spending by out-of-state PACs including Club For Growth, and notes that the majority of recent campaign contributions to Rosendale come from outside the state, which FEC filings confirm.  “We have somebody from out of state, who moved here, getting out-of-state money, trying to represent Montana, and I think the Montana voters are going to see through that,” Dooling says.  A farmer and rancher from Helena, Dooling grew up watching his family labor to get their agricultural products into global markets. Today he supports President Donald Trump’s global trade policies and likens the process of implementing them to surgery, saying “a little bit of pain” now could result in a future in which Montana farmers have an increased ability to sell commodities in foreign markets. Dooling says, “I support what Trump is doing, because we have to get this level playing field … I know from a stockgrower’s point of view, from a farm bureau point of view, free and unrestricted access to trade is what we’re looking for.” Dooling went on to discuss a range of topics with Adams, weighing in on the congressional impeachment inquiry, Syria, the coming impacts of automation, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes water compact, climate change, and more.

It was a Helena reunion last week when Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams sat down with filmmaker Kimberly Reed to discuss their involvement in Reed’s 2018 documentary film, Dark Money. Their conversation is the latest installment of the Montana Lowdown podcast, a weekly production of Montana Free Press. Reed says she was drawn to the topic of dark money in politics after watching the state of Montana mount a defense of its century-old prohibition on corporate political spending against the Supreme Court’s controversial Citizens United ruling in 2010, which effectively overturned the state law. Reed spent six years making the film, which focuses much of its attention on her home state of Montana. The film illustrates the influence of untraceable corporate money on Montana elections in an era of diminished watchdog journalism, and features Adams as a reporter investigating the issue. The film was shortlisted for the Academy Awards in 2019. The issue gained prominence during Montana’s 2008-2012 election cycles, when a scandal involving dark money groups, including the American Tradition Partnership and Montana Citizens for Right To Work, ensnared nine Republican candidates in an investigation into campaign finance violations. Allegations of dark money coordination have continued to dog both Republican and Democratic candidates. As Reed tells Adams, “I felt like Montana was the canary in the coal mine when it came to some of these tactics that were being used. But you know what? The canary lived.” Reed adds, “You can’t have a healthy democracy unless you have a healthy fourth estate, unless you have healthy watchdog journalism that is holding power accountable.” Much of Dark Money focuses on a paper trail of postcard mailers that were sent to Montana voters sharing disparaging — and sometimes dishonest — remarks about challengers to candidates supported by the dark money groups. Reed notes that this paper trail is notably absent from today’s political disinformation campaigns, which are largely waged online. She tells Adams, “One of the reasons that we were able to tell the story that we did in Dark Money is because there was this physical evidence … One of the things that’s scariest about how democracy is being thwarted today is because it’s really hard to track those digital ads.” Reed continues to be involved in campaign finance transparency and watchdog journalism issues through the film’s social media outreach, and via national speaking engagements promoting the film. Dark Money has garnered a number of awards and accolades, most recently as one of five films to earn the 2019 Silver Gavel Award for Media and the Arts, an annual honor awarded by the American Bar Association.

“How does our economy look? Is it what we want it to be? Can we identify aspects that we’re concerned about?” These are some of the questions Montana Free Press reporter Eric Dietrich set out to answer when analyzing projections from the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, which has just released its 10-year outlook for 2018 to 2028. The state anticipates tens of thousands of annual job openings, Dietrich says, “but how many of them are actually good jobs?”  Dietrich has reported for Montana Free Press since 2018, when he came on to develop his Long Streets economic reporting project, in which he uses data and visualization tools to provide a detailed look at Montana’s economic future through a variety of lenses. Dietrich’s latest story, called “What Jobs May Come,” examines state economists’ forecasts for job openings, wages, and job turnover in Montana in the coming decade. The numbers show an earnings gap between workers with higher education and those without, and suggest that while a limited number of manufacturing jobs should continue to offer good opportunities for employees without a college degree, there may be more lucrative employment in the trades. “I think if you can get into a training program that prepares you to be an electrician or a plumber or a boilermaker, you can make a decent living,” Dietrich says. “You know, electricians make a better wage than half the college-degree fields we’re talking about here.”

This week’s episode of the Montana Lowdown podcast features an interview with Republican candidate for the U.S. House and current Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton. He and Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams discuss topics including Stapleton’s path into politics, his work as secretary of state, elections security, and his vision for Montana’s lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Stapleton grew up in the latter part of the Cold War era, and says he considered it his patriotic duty to enlist in the U.S. Navy — a duty that developed into political aspirations after campaigning for Republican presidential hopeful Bob Dole in the mid-1990s. Stapleton was elected to the Montana Senate in 2000, and was termed-out of office in 2008. He ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2012, and for the U.S. House in 2014, before being elected secretary of state in 2016, as elections security became a prominent national issue. Stapleton says that he’s proud of his work safeguarding Montana’s election systems, and shares an anecdote about receiving a report from Gov. Bullock’s office regarding a spike in activity on a backup power supply for the state’s elections system associated with IP addresses in Ukraine. He also sees a pressing need to address economic threats from China. Stapleton says the current trade wars are emblematic of a global shift toward protectionism, and adds that he thinks free-market capitalism is key to addressing global issues like the warming climate and poverty. Says Stapleton, “We’re trying to find a way to be a constitutional republic, keep our sovereignty, [and] at the same time, as a Republican, try to embrace free markets, which is kind of the opposite of that, right? You’re not supposed to tell people who to buy stuff from, and so it’s a balance.” He also posits a distinction between Republican and Democratic appeals to voters via populist sentiment, telling Adams, “We forget that it is capitalism, not socialism, that’s the most beneficial force in the history of the world. It’s the only system that brings the most people out of poverty, and so America should continue to be that beacon.” Elsewhere in the interview, Stapleton is critical of the current U.S. Congress, and makes his case for why he believes he’s the best candidate to represent Montanans in the House.  “I have never seen a more disappointing, dysfunctional United States Congress than exists now,” he says. “Montana still wants a common-sense conservative, fiscally conservative, congressman. We want someone who supports agriculture and energy, understands our way of life, shares our values, shows good judgment in dealing with leadership decisions, and I think that I’m that candidate.” Stapleton had previously announced his candidacy in the Montana governor’s race, but pivoted to the House race shortly after incumbent U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte announced he would not seek reelection, opting instead to enter the governor’s race.  Stapleton is now campaigning in a Republican primary that includes State Auditor Matt Rosendale, former state GOP party chair Debra Lamm, rancher and Lewis and Clark County GOP Central Committee chair Joe Dooling, and Corvallis School District Superintendent Tim Johnson. The Democatic primary candidates for the House seat are former state Rep. Kathleen Williams, Missoula state Rep. Tom Winter, and rancher Matt Rains.

In this week’s Montana Lowdown podcast, we interview Dr. Steven Running, who contributed research to a 2004 report published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. An international body of the United Nations, the IPCC is composed of scientists and other experts working to assess the science of climate change. The panel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007, and its work helped inform former Vice President Al Gore’s book and film “An Inconvenient Truth.” Running, Professor Emeritus of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences at the University of Montana and a former NASA scientist, shares an outlook on the subject that’s sobering but measured. Drawing on decades of research, Running views the changing climate as a global challenge that’s urgent, but manageable. He tells Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams it bothers him when the press reports “things like, ‘We have until 2030 to fix this, and if not it’s too late.’ Because in reality, there’s no single threshold of when we’re over the edge … This is a big problem. It’s going to basically pervade the world for the coming century, and the sooner we get to work, the better it’ll be.” Running says he sees immediate opportunities to address the crisis, both globally and in Montana. And he pushes back on claims that favorable local weather is proof that climate change fears are unfounded.  “The day will come when there’ll be a reckoning for everybody on this …,” Running says. “This is a long, long term dynamic, and it isn’t going to turn bad or good in just a year or two. It’s going to be over decades and decades.” This Montana Lowdown podcast is published in conjunction with a week-long international journalistic effort to maximize coverage of the climate crisis in the lead-up to the United Nations Climate Summit on Sept. 23 in New York City. You can follow more climate reporting from around the world with the hashtag #coveringclimatenow on social media.

From holding officials accountable to following the money and amplifying stories of influence and injustice, the media plays a critical role in preserving our democracy. But with local newsrooms gutted, untraceable spending exploding across American elections, and an increasing number of news outlets shifting away from watchdog reporting, connecting the dots can feel more difficult than ever. There’s reason to be hopeful, however: These journalists and media experts know how to dig the dirt—and tell the story. Whether you’re an independent reporter or a concerned citizen, the pros in this episode will give you the tools and tricks you need to break the news and bring the truth to light. • Moderator: Sheila Krumholz, Executive Director, Center for Responsive Politics • Speaker 1: Steve Cavendish, Editor, Nashville Banner • Speaker 2: John S. Adams, Founder/Editor, Montana Free Press; subject of the award-winning documentary Dark Money • Speaker 3: Claudia Vargas, Staff Writer, Philadelphia Inquirer • Speaker 4: Manuela Ekowo, Media Associate, Democracy, ReThink Media

This week Montana Free Press continues its ongoing coverage of the lead-up to the 2020 elections with an interview with Mayor Wilmot Collins of Helena. Collins joined host John S. Adams to discuss his emigration from Liberia to the United States, starting a new life in Montana, his current role as mayor of the state capital, and his campaign for the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican incumbent Steve Daines for a seat in the United States Senate. Collins emigrated to Montana in 1994 as a refugee after a bloody civil war broke out in his home country of Liberia. Over the course of the next two and a half decades, he and his family have made a new life for themselves in Helena. Collins tells Adams about having to flee Liberia once war broke out, saying, “Within a matter of two weeks we were homeless, walking the streets and starving." Collins and his wife, Maddie, later found temporary refuge in a small village in Ghana. But Maddie, who had studied in the United States as an exchange student, told her husband, 'I think we can do better … Let’s go to Montana.’" Collins said his decision to run against four-term incumbent Helena mayor Jim Smith in 2016 was the logical next step in a career dedicated to serving the state that gave his family a fresh start. He ran, and won, in a year when Donald Trump carried the state by more than 20 points, and he cites his victory as evidence that Montanans are independent thinkers and voters. Collins has been treading the campaign trail statewide, and says his would-be constituents understand how Trump’s trade wars are affecting Montanans, telling Adams, “The people are aware that the tariffs are hurting Montana, and they are also aware that taxpayers are giving them the subsidy that the federal government is giving [back]. So they know that China is not … hurting the country, but we are hurting ourselves.” Collins also takes Daines to task over a perceived lack of accessibility to voters, saying, “[Daines] is not meeting with the people of Montana, he’s not listening to their issues. … And when you see the senator run from his constituents, it’s concerning.” Daines was elected to office in 2014 after serving a single term in the House of Representatives, and is now in an uncontested primary for re-election. Collins faces two Democratic primary opponents: engineer and Navy veteran John Mues of Loma, and author Jack Ballard of Red Lodge.

Montana Free Press continues its coverage of the state attorney general’s race with an interview with Republican candidate and current Roosevelt County attorney Austin Knudsen. Knudsen talked to Montana Free Press founder and Montana Lowdown host John S. Adams on Aug. 22. Knudsen represented House District 34 for four sessions starting in 2011. In 2014, he was elected as the youngest-ever speaker of the House at a time when his caucus was in the midst of a long-standing ideological divide that continues to this day.  Knudsen’s House term ended in 2017, and rather than pursue a seat in the state Senate, Knudsen ran for Roosevelt County attorney, a job to which voters elected him in 2018. Now, after six months in that position, Knudsen has his sights set on the attorney general’s office.  Said Knudsen: “I think this is an office that needs aggressive conservative leadership. I don’t think we’ve had that for the last eight years. I really don’t think [Republican candidate] Jon Bennion will bring that into the attorney general’s office, either.” Knudsen asserts that while the nation grapples with an epidemic of opioid addiction, it’s methamphetamine that is wreaking havoc across rural Montana. He says he doesn’t believe the current attorney general, Republican Tim Fox, nor Fox’s chief deputy, Bennion, have done enough to curb the flow of meth from the southern border.  “I do think the attorney general’s office can do a lot more to address the crime problem in Montana, because there is one,” Knudsen said “It all comes back to the meth epidemic that’s here in Montana … This meth is destroying our communities, it’s destroying families, and it’s all coming through that southern border because it’s unsecured.” This is the fourth Montana Lowdown interview covering the attorney general’s race. Adams previously interviewed Deputy Attorney General Bennion; Democrat and Gov. Bullock’s chief legal counsel Raph Graybill; and Missoula attorney and four-term Democratic state Rep. Kimberly Dudik. A third Democratic candidate, Kalispell attorney James Cossitt, has also entered the race.

The Montana Department of Justice’s Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force held its second meeting in Great Falls on Saturday, Aug. 10, and Montana Free Press founder John S. Adams interviewed task force members Deputy Attorney General Melissa Schlichting and Ellie Bundy McLeod of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes to discuss the results of that meeting, the formation of the task force, and plans moving forward. Montana’s Indian Country is in the midst of an epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous people, mostly women and girls. The Billings Gazette reports that more than two dozen indigenous women went missing in Montana in 2018, and indigenous women nationwide are being killed or trafficked at rates much higher than the non-Indian national average. In the last legislative session, lawmakers passed a series of bills aimed at untangling jurisdictional conflicts, developing reporting guidelines, and creating a central repository for data on missing and murdered indigenous people. “I think the problems have always been there,” McLeod said. “We don’t have the data so much, but we do have the stories … It’s the combination maybe of the drugs, the domestic violence, the runaways. There are just so many things happening, but I don’t think we can blame any one thing.” One of the Montana bills, Senate Bill 312, created the Looping In Native Communities, or LINC, Act, authorizing Attorney General Tim Fox to appoint a statewide Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Task Force. The new task force includes representatives from each Indian tribe in the state, the attorney general’s office, and law enforcement. Schlichting said, “One of the main directives to the task force is to determine what the scope of the missing indigenous persons issue is within the state of Montana, to specifically identify any jurisdictional barriers that exist … so that we can all better address the missing persons in Montana.” The task force’s third meeting is scheduled for Sept. 27 in Billings, and will be open to the public. Schlichting and McLeod shared with Montana Free Press a list of additional events, resources, and advice for anyone looking to get involved.

Montana Senate President Scott Sales, R-Bozeman, was a guest on the MT Lowdown podcast last week, where he discussed with Montana Free Press founder John S. Adams his 16 years in the Montana Legislature, his prior professional experiences in computer technology and agriculture, and his current candidacy for Montana secretary of state. Sales is the only Montana lawmaker to have served as both speaker of the House and president of the Senate. A self-described constitutional Republican, Sales is a reliably staunch conservative with a reputation for opposing government spending and shooting straight. Democrats occupied the governor’s office throughout Sales’ legislative career, and the Republican caucuses he led were often divided — sometimes bitterly — between more conservative lawmakers such as Sales and more moderate Republicans who were willing to compromise with Democrats to pass legislation. Reflecting on his years in the state capitol, Sales said, “I thought that ... the Republicans would be more conservative-minded like myself, and it turned out I was quite a bit to the right of most of my caucus members. … I wanted to make some huge changes and coerce some of my moderate brethren into maybe thinking the way I did. That’s not the way the place works. … A mature individual learns what you can get done, and what you can’t get done, in your environment.” Now seeking the job of the state’s top elections official, Sales calls the right to vote “a cornerstone of the foundation of the country,” and says that our state’s voting systems require a “fine balance” between integrity and flexibility.  The secretary of state also occupies one of five seats on the State Land Board. When considering his potential seat on the board, Sales noted that “There’s a constitutional obligation for us to maximize the amount of benefit financially from those lands for the benefit of the schools,” adding, “We can develop our resources … in an environmentally friendly fashion.” Sales went on to say that while he does accept that climate change is happening, he also believes that “It is not confirmed science that man-made climate change is upon us.” Sales will be termed out of the Senate in 2020, and is running in the Republican primary against Rep. Forrest Mandeville (HD 57). Democratic challenger Sen. Bryce Bennett (SD 50) is running unopposed, and discussed his candidacy on a recent episode of MT Lowdown.

In this week's podcast, freelance journalist and former wildland firefighter Amanda Eggert joins us from Bozeman to discuss her recent three-part series for Montana Free Press, Living With Fire. While the 2019 fire season is off to a slow start due to unseasonably cool and wet weather, the city of Helena is watching as firefighters battle the North Hills fire, which has burned more than 4,000 acres and prompted the evacuation of more than 400 homes. Eggert's series explores the evolution of wildfire suppression, the role land-use planning can play in limiting property damage from wildfire, and the rise of the private firefighting industry. Says Eggert, “There’s an economic inequality aspect to [the private firefighting industry], where essentially wealthy people with disposable cash can better protect their homes and properties from fire than people who rely on public agencies.” Readers can find Amanda’s Living With Fire series by visiting montanafreepress.org and clicking on the “News” tab at the top of the page.

In this third episode of the Montana Lowdown podcast, we welcome Montana Free Press reporter Leia Larsen and independent freelance data journalist and designer Eric Dietrich into the studio to talk about what inspires them to pursue the news, what's surprising about the Montana Legislature, and their hopes for the future of nonprofit journalism. 

It’s a new year, and a new legislative session is upon us, but an old rift has re-emerged among Montana’s Republican lawmakers. For more than a decade GOP legislators have been at war with each other over the heart and soul of their party. On one side are hard-line conservatives who view their longstanding legislative majorities as a mandate to oppose Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock's agenda at every turn. On the other side is a growing group of lawmakers, ranging from moderate to conservative Republicans, who understand that if they want to pass a budget, they will have to negotiate with Democrats. Four-term Republican Rep. Nancy Ballance, of Hamilton, has chaired the powerful House Appropriations Committee the past two sessions and will co-chair that committee in 2019. Ballance, regarded by most lawmakers as a staunch conservative and an expert on the budget, now finds herself accused by some members of her caucus of supporting a liberal Democratic agenda. In our inaugural episode of the Montana Lowdown podcast, host John S. Adams of the Montana Free Press sits down with Rep. Ballance for a candid conversation about the tensions in the House GOP caucus that threaten to boil over in the first week of the 2019 legislative session.  

FOLLOW THE MONEY. A term coined by the film All The President's Men back in 1976 and that has even more weight now. We sat down with filmmaker Kimberly Reed who's new film Dark Money will leave you thankful for filmmakers like her and journalists like John S. Adams  of the Montana Free Press.  While we sprint in to this election season head out to the movie theater and pay for this intense documentary about how one state in the U.S. is fighting for a fair democracy. Dark Money will force you to ask more questions about who is footing the bill of certain U.S. politicians - both Democrats and Republicans. This is a war like no other and we all must fight.    Visit our website! www.bitchtalkpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter...