The Electorette

Daniella Mestyanek Young grew up in the Children of God, left at fifteen, and went on to become a U.S. Army intelligence officer. She has spent her career since studying how high-control groups are built — and arguing that the tactics are the same whether the group is a commune, a military unit, or a political movement.

In this conversation she and Jen Taylor-Skinner examine what separates a political movement from a cult, and why the distinction matters less than the tactics being used. They discuss the role race has played in American cults from the 1960s onward, the "validity mascot" — the woman brought in to make a leader look normal — and why cult leaders become fixated on birth rates and gender roles. Young explains what she calls trance talk: the deliberate cadence cult leaders use, and a simple test for hearing past it.

They also discuss what it takes to leave. Young is direct about the limits: there is no reliable, ethical way to pull someone out of a cult, and the deprogramming of the 1970s amounted to soft torture. What works, she argues, is waiting for the crack — and knowing what to ask when it appears.

Daniella Mestyanek Young is the author of The Culting of America and Uncultured.
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ICE raids often make headlines. But what happens after an arrest receives far less attention.

In this episode, LA Public Press reporter Martín Macías, Jr. takes listeners inside what advocates describe as the "hidden" side of the deportation system: immigration courtrooms, where volunteer observers say due process is increasingly difficult to access and deportation cases are moving at an accelerated pace.

The conversation explores the recruitment of new immigration judges, conditions inside Southern California detention facilities, hunger strikes over alleged mistreatment, and what election officials are doing to prepare amid concerns that federal immigration enforcement could have a chilling effect on voters during the 2026 midterms.

Martín Macías, Jr.⁠ also discusses why ICE has become less visible in national headlines—even as arrests continue—and what that shift may mean for the future of immigration enforcement.
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Five years ago this month, Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated inside his own home by a group of foreign mercenaries. His wife survived. The president's phone disappeared. Prosecutors were threatened. And, five years later, no one has been brought to trial in Haiti.

In this conversation, journalist Macollvie J. Neel takes listeners back to the night of July 7, 2021, explains what investigators believe happened inside the president's home, and examines why the assassination remains one of the most consequential—and unresolved—political crimes in the Western Hemisphere.

The conversation also explores the political vacuum left behind, the international investigation that continues in U.S. courts, and why understanding the events of that night is essential to understanding Haiti today.

For more on this story, see Macollvie J. Neel's reporting for The Haitian Times, linked below.

After midnight in Pèlerin —The killing of Haiti's president, the suspects scattered across borders, the convicted — and a justice system that still cannot find his phone.

‘Don’t panic, mobilize instead,’ Haitian leaders urge after TPS ruling

Temporary Protected Status (TPS): What Haitians Need to KnowReporting, guidance and verified resources from The Haitian Times

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Ten years after filing the lawsuit that brought down Roger Ailes and ignited a national conversation about workplace sexual harassment, Gretchen Carlson joins The Electorette to reflect on what has—and hasn't—changed.

In this conversation, Gretchen discusses the lasting personal cost of speaking out, why she says she still doesn't fully own her voice, the creation of Lift Our Voices, the fight to end forced arbitration and NDAs in cases of workplace harassment, and what still needs to happen to protect workers.

A decade after one of the most consequential moments in media history, this is a candid conversation about power, accountability, and what justice really looks like after the headlines fade.

Guest: Gretchen Carlson
Journalist & Founder, Lift Our Voices

#spotlight
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Months before Graham Platner ended his campaign, EMILY's List publicly warned Democrats that nominating him would make it harder—not easier—to defeat Senator Susan Collins.

In this episode, Jen Taylor-Skinner sits down with Jessica Mackler, president of EMILY's List, to discuss what the organization knew at the time, why it believed Platner was the wrong candidate to take on Collins, and what this series of events reveals about candidate vetting, electability, and the growing influence of "vibes-based" politics.

Their conversation explores:

Why EMILY's List took the unusual step of speaking out during a Democratic primary.

The difference between a candidate being "human" and being disqualifying.

How political media and online echo chambers can manufacture momentum around a candidate.

Why women candidates continue to face different standards than men.

What Democrats should learn from the Maine Senate race heading into the 2026 midterms.

The Margin is a special midterm election series from The Electorette and URL Media, hosted by Jen Taylor-Skinner.

If you found this conversation helpful, like this video and follow @electorette for more political midterm coverage, election analysis, and nuanced discussions that go beyond the headlines.

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