Bundyville: The Remnant

Fans of Bundyville should check out this new podcast from host Leah Sottile and producer Ryan Haas. In the first season, we look at the case of Jesse Lee Johnson, a Black man who lived for 17 years on Oregon’s death row for a crime he says he didn’t commit, and we try to understand why the state tried for so long to kill him.

The story of how a small group of activists and scientists fought to save America's last old growth forests, and in the process upended the Pacific Northwest, turned environmental conflicts into culture wars, and transformed the very way we see the natural world. Produced by Oregon Public Broadcasting and 30 Minutes West, with original music by Laura Gibson.

Hosted by Peter Frick-Wright and award-winning journalist Rachel Nuwer, Cat People examines the strange relationships some Americans have with big cats and the legal loopholes that have made this country home to more captive tigers than there are left in the wild.

In July 2019, Leah Sottile and Ryan Haas sat down with OPB's Dave Miller for a live Q&A event in Portland, Oregon. The discussion covered a range of topics, from how the second season of Bundyville came together to why conversations about white supremacy and extremist violence are necessary -- even when those conversations are uncomfortable.

A mysterious bombing in rural Nevada draws a reporter into the hidden networks of regional extremism. Forgotten histories of white supremacy and community cover-ups come to light. A would-be suicide attack, online radicalization, and questions about law enforcement response are explored. Locals who resisted hateful narratives offer an alternative path forward.

Jesse Johnson, raised in Marble and excommunicated as a teen who later left and came out as gay, returns to recount life under Marble leadership. He describes exclusion, strict discipline, and the community's secrecy. The conversation covers prophetic leaders, ties to Christian identity, recruitment tactics, and how radical ideas were normalized.

Tanner Rowe, the local reporter who leaked a controversial manifesto, and Matt Shea, a Washington state lawmaker known for Christian nationalist and anti-government rhetoric, are featured. They discuss Shea’s speeches, a leaked 'Biblical Basis for War' document, claims of violent plans, local reactions and threats, and the rise of dominionist networks like Marble. Tension over political violence and community impact drives the conversation.

A deep look at how a rural county became a training ground for anti-government and white supremacist organizing. The story covers revival gatherings that recast patriots as victims and a martyr narrative that fuels retaliatory violence. It traces historic compounds, violent cells, and regional networks that sought a white homeland. Modern strategies and local ties are linked to earlier extremist projects.

A deep look at how a violent roadside killing became a rallying symbol for anti-government networks. The piece follows memorial gatherings, online replaying of the shooting, and efforts to craft a martyr narrative. It traces one man’s life, radicalization, and family perspective. It also connects this moment to a long pattern of tit-for-tat violence in militia movements.

Bill Keebler, a former militia member who founded the Patriots Defense Force, recalls his time at Bunkerville and survival training. He describes contact with undercover FBI agents who encouraged violent plans and provided a fake pipe bomb. The conversation covers reconnaissance, alleged entrapment, his shift toward extremist views, and lingering paranoia after surveillance.