Leah Sottile's Avatar

Leah Sottile

@leahsottile.bsky.social

Independent journalist | Co-founder @thewesternedge.bsky.social Books: Blazing Eye Sees All, When The Moon Turns To Blood. Podcasts: Hush, Burn Wild, Two Minutes Past Nine, Bundyville. www.leahsottile.com

13,670 Followers  |  456 Following  |  945 Posts  |  Joined: 24.05.2023
Posts Following

Posts by Leah Sottile (@leahsottile.bsky.social)

A screenshot of a headline that says "Kyron Horman's name surfaces in Epstein files"

A screenshot of a headline that says "Kyron Horman's name surfaces in Epstein files"

Today in clickbait.

26.02.2026 15:36 β€” πŸ‘ 18    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I've now woken up and decided why not be overt: it's classless when The Oregonian and Oregon Public Broadcasting doesn't cite independent reporters writing a story first. Are we still doing this in 2026?

26.02.2026 15:44 β€” πŸ‘ 34    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
PacifiCorp officially owes Oregonians more than $1 billion for 2020 fires A Wednesday court verdict pushed the Warren Buffett-owned utility beyond the remarkable figure.

Ahem, I just want to say @ryanjhaas.bsky.social broke the news in @thewesternedge.bsky.social that PacifiCorp now owes Oregonians $1 billion

www.thewesternedge.media/p/pacificorp...

26.02.2026 14:52 β€” πŸ‘ 39    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 2
Preview
Epstein Files Are Missing Records About Woman Who Made Claim Against Trump

The Epstein files published by DOJ briefly mention a woman’s unverified accusation that President Trump assaulted her in the 1980s, when she was a minor. But several key FBI memos related to the woman's account have not been released.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/25/u...

25.02.2026 17:36 β€” πŸ‘ 163    πŸ” 51    πŸ’¬ 13    πŸ“Œ 2
Preview
Hungry for Affirmation, Vulnerable to Scams: As a Writer, I Know the Feeling

I think it means that I’m dead inside because when I’ve received these adoring emails, my reaction was β€œpeople would never be this nice about my writing so this must be a scam.” Saved by a powerful negative voice!

www.nytimes.com/2026/02/25/b...

26.02.2026 03:01 β€” πŸ‘ 32    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
PacifiCorp officially owes Oregonians more than $1 billion for 2020 fires A Tuesday court verdict pushed the Warren Buffet-owned utility beyond the remarkable figure.

Oregon's second largest electric utility, PacifiCorp, passed a notable milestone today: $1 billion owed to people who had their lives destroyed by the 2020 Labor Day wildfires.

26.02.2026 02:02 β€” πŸ‘ 67    πŸ” 36    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1

Portland, you're coming to see @letsgomathias.bsky.social talk about his incredible book tomorrow, yeah? Come ask good questions!

25.02.2026 17:16 β€” πŸ‘ 16    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I’ve been too preoccupied to deal with Kristof’s Epstein takeβ€”which gratuitously involves him using sex work ads to call the cops on a guy he says is a pimp, and maybe for the first time acknowledges that survivors are not all grateful to cops for β€œrescuing” them (as he also lightly scolds them)

24.02.2026 20:26 β€” πŸ‘ 66    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 4
Post image

again, so so stoked to be discussing my book with the incredible @leahsottile.bsky.social THIS Thursday in PORTLAND, OREGON at the @cstpdx.bsky.social!

Sponsored by the amazing folks at @ojrcenter.bsky.social , @westernstatescenter.org , and @107ist.org! Get your tixxxxx cstpdx.com/event/to-cat...

23.02.2026 17:24 β€” πŸ‘ 29    πŸ” 10    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

🀣

22.02.2026 19:29 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

But seriously, tell your friends happy birthday. Everyone likes it.

22.02.2026 18:53 β€” πŸ‘ 25    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Every year when I wish my friends happy birthdays, literally the response is "how did you remember?!" Calendars, man. Hell of a tool.

22.02.2026 18:53 β€” πŸ‘ 39    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 0

After a busy week I finally got the time to read this today from @ryanjhaas.bsky.social & @leahsottile.bsky.social. Notable details: a councilorβ€˜s response to a threatening email, an AI slop video from a local news outlet.

21.02.2026 19:28 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

When I say that @ryanjhaas.bsky.social and I like to deep dive with our reporting, what I mean is that we go to the absolute bottom and find insane shit like this.

20.02.2026 17:04 β€” πŸ‘ 35    πŸ” 10    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
A comment on a Western Edge story praising its reporting.

A comment on a Western Edge story praising its reporting.

What are people saying about @thewesternedge.bsky.social?

Wendy absolutely gets the vibe we are going for. Old school reporting that cuts at power, packaged for the digital age.

18.02.2026 20:03 β€” πŸ‘ 32    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

SO EXCITED that the great @leahsottile.bsky.social is going to interview me LIVE at the @cstpdx.bsky.social in PORTLAND, OREGON next week!

Sponsored by amazing folks at @ojrcenter.bsky.social @westernstatescenter.org & @portlandtimbers.bsky.social! Get your tix now! cstpdx.com/event/to-cat...

20.02.2026 16:23 β€” πŸ‘ 52    πŸ” 14    πŸ’¬ 6    πŸ“Œ 4

CANNOT WAIT.

20.02.2026 17:02 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
β€œFar left meets far right, finds common cause”: Leah Sottile’s β€˜Blazing Eye Sees All’ (Part One) In this episode of β€˜The Write Question,’ host Lauren Korn speaks to journalist Leah Sottile about β€˜Blazing Eye Sees All: Love Has Won, False Prophets, and the Fever Dream of the American New Age’ (Gra...

A very cool thing to be featured on Lauren Korn's The Write Question! Here's the first part of a two-part interview I did all about the New Age movement. www.mtpr.org/podcast/the-...

20.02.2026 02:43 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Is Redemption Possible in Oregon's Capital City? The Western Edge uncovered a manufactured crisis, backroom deals, political spending, AI slop and a city council bending to appease a police union.

A December media blitz over a police oversight board in Salem missed how the city’s police union leveraged political spending to control a controversial city decision.

The first investigation by The Western Edge is out now.

www.thewesternedge.media/p/is-redempt...

17.02.2026 18:19 β€” πŸ‘ 34    πŸ” 13    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 6

I'm genuinely amazed the Deanna Gwyn replied to that person's vitriolic email. She didn't reply to my email taking her to task for supporting a budget that would have closed our Public Library.

It seems she only replies to constituents if she agrees with them.

18.02.2026 17:24 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
To Catch a Fascist with Christopher Mathias | Clinton Street Theater The Oregon Justice Resource Center is bringing Christopher Mathias to Portland for an evening in conversation with local journalistΒ and author Leah Sottile.

Next Thursday, come on out to hear me ask @letsgomathias.bsky.social one million questions about his INCREDIBLE new book, To Catch a Fascist. You need a ticket, which you can get here: cstpdx.com/event/to-cat...

18.02.2026 17:28 β€” πŸ‘ 18    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Fantastic reporting from this new journalism project! If you live in Oregon or Washington, definitely consider getting a subscription if you can spare some $$.

17.02.2026 22:51 β€” πŸ‘ 16    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks, Wendy!!

18.02.2026 17:19 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Another excellent piece from excellent journalists, covering something that had been biting at me. This country will never get its shit together until we figure out a way to deal with violence that isn't "lock someone up and throw away the key."

18.02.2026 05:30 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Is Redemption Possible in Oregon's Capital City? The Western Edge uncovered a manufactured crisis, backroom deals, political spending, AI slop and a city council bending to appease a police union.

The story of a police union, a mayor’s race and a pardoned murdered in Oregon’s capital city. The first investigation by @ryanjhaas.bsky.social and myself, for @thewesternedge.bsky.social.

Consider a subscription.

www.thewesternedge.media/p/is-redempt...

17.02.2026 18:21 β€” πŸ‘ 46    πŸ” 24    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 3

As a Salem resident, I want to share, promote and support Lean Sottile and Ryan Haas newly launched journalism endeavor β€œThe Western Edge”. It’s something we sorely need.

That being said, I also vehemently disagree with the article, but I still find the work vital and valid.

18.02.2026 00:04 β€” πŸ‘ 15    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

Fascinating article about attempts at redemption after a serious crime and incarceration, and how those seeking political gain took advantage of the situation.

17.02.2026 23:23 β€” πŸ‘ 16    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

horrifying story, excellently reported

17.02.2026 21:11 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Incredible piece about some of Salem's inner workings. Though none of this is surprising, it's wonderful to see a spotlight on it.

17.02.2026 21:09 β€” πŸ‘ 12    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0