Montanaland

Who is Kurt Alme, and how did he get here? We trace the people, institutions and money that helped shape his remarkable rise, and his political relationships that don't fit neatly along party lines. The deeper we dig, the smaller Montana’s world of political power becomes. Welcome to Montanaland. Things get weird out here. NOTE: Episode contains sensitive content.

We've got several investigations cooking at once as we dig in the files of the U.S. Senate race in Montana. We trace the original recipe for the religious rhetoric dominating state politics and serve up a side of truth de jour. Welcome to Montanaland. Things get weird out here.

Three candidates. Millions in outside money. Political insiders, consultants, foundations and donor networks operating behind the scenes. The question is becoming bigger than who wins Montana’s Senate race: Who helped build the ballot in the first place? Welcome to Montanaland. Things get weird out here.

What led a series of women and administrators to come forward and file a lawsuit against the University of Montana, and specifically name Seth Bodnar repeatedly in the complaint? From questions about hiring and sensitive student data to Title IX enforcement and the stewardship of Montana’s public art collection, how did dozens of individual stories eventually converge in federal litigation that alleged gender discrimination and a retaliatory culture at UM? Let's find out. Welcome to Montanaland. Things get weird out here.

A network of powerful politicos is selling Wonder Boy to the country, and the national press is repeating the story, but who is checking the facts for Montana? We follow "Independent" Seth Bodnar from West Point to GE's emerging world of mobile data centers and predictive analytics, then to the University of Montana. When UM won't release the resume that helped make Bodnar its president, we find it, along with changing titles and timelines in the "official" record. Welcome to Montanaland. Things get weird out here.

Fresh off her own run for U.S. Senate, Reilly Neill opens the files on Montana's strange 2026 Senate race. First up: Alani Bankhead, an Air Force veteran whose resume acquires more horsepower with every retelling. Terrorist hunting, magical thinking for financial freedom, ten signs from Jesus, and a divine order to run for U.S. Senate. Welcome to Montanaland. Things get weird out here.