Jun 10, 2026

Shadow government isn't a conspiracy theory — it's the network of unelected associations quietly steering your red state's policy, and on this episode of The Jenny Beth Show, Jenny Beth Martin and guest Noah Wall pull back the curtain. Wall, founder of the State Leadership Initiative and a veteran of the State Financial Officers Foundation, explains why conservatives keep electing Republican governors yet keep getting blue-state outcomes. The answer, Wall argues, is a constellation of Washington-based professional associations — the National Association of Medicaid Directors, the American Library Association, transportation and motor-vehicle associations, and dozens more — that set “best practices” for every state agency and quietly push progressive priorities your governor never approved. Jenny Beth and Noah dig into a real-world bombshell: a Georgia Medicaid contracting process that penalized providers for following the state's own parental-notification law. They cover the State Leadership Index and its surprising findings on red-state bureaucracy size, the money trail behind these dues-funded groups, and a simple game any citizen can play to expose the shadow government in their own town. This is a roadmap for grassroots activists and elected officials alike: name the problem, follow the funding, and reclaim accountable government. Jenny Beth Martin is co-founder of the Tea Party movement and Chairman of Tea Party Patriots Action. Learn more and get involved at teapartypatriots.org and jennybethshow.com.

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