The Majority Report with Sam Seder: Episode 3584

Epstein Dominos Begin to Fall; Inside Idaho's Far-Right Hotbed w/ Michael Edison Hayden
Aired: February 19, 2026 | Guest: Michael Edison Hayden

Episode Overview

On this Thursday's edition of The Majority Report, Emma Vigeland (hosting for Sam Seder) dives into two major political stories shaking the U.S. and abroad. First, the hosts break down the latest accountability moves in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, highlighting powerful individuals entangled in the fallout, including Prince Andrew’s historic arrest. The second half of the show features investigative journalist Michael Edison Hayden to discuss the rise, deep roots, and current tactics of the far-right and neo-Nazi movement in Northern Idaho—described as a "laboratory" for extremist politics. The conversation details both the decades-long history and recent alarming developments in the region.

Key Topics & Segments

I. Epstein Fallout & the Global Push for Accountability

1. Developments in the Epstein Network

• Historic Arrest:

  • Former Prince Andrew is arrested in the UK for misconduct related to the Epstein case—the first royal arrest since 1647.

    "This is the first arrest of a royal since 1647, when Charles the First was arrested during the English Civil War."
    — Emma Vigeland (05:19)

• Les Wexner's Testimony & Role:

  • Billionaire Les Wexner, a longtime Epstein associate, is named as a co-conspirator in the files, with his name improperly redacted by the DOJ.
  • Wexner testifies to Congress via video, portraying himself as Epstein's victim, claiming to have been duped, despite longstanding close ties and deep financial entanglement.

    "Epstein managed Wexner's personal finances for over a decade."
    — Emma Vigeland (07:33)

  • Rep. Robert Garcia bluntly outlines the financial and logistical support Wexner provided to Epstein.

    "There would be no Epstein island, there'd be no Epstein plane, there'd be no money to traffic women and girls. Mr. Epstein would not be the wealthy man he was without the support of Les Wexner."
    — Rep. Robert Garcia (09:11)

• Other U.S. Figures Affected:

  • Matt Binder and Emma note others facing minor or voluntary repercussions (such as Larry Summers stepping down from Harvard), lamenting the lack of criminal accountability, and denouncing American institutions' reliance on market-driven consequences instead of real justice.

    "It really is an example of the rot of American society that the impulse is to just let the market decide what the punishment is... These people need to be actually put through a court process."
    — Emma Vigeland (04:39) "There is a time that the state needs to kick people's doors down and gather evidence in their residences. And we're way beyond that for this Epstein class."
    — Matt Binder (05:08)

• Illicit Redactions & More Incriminating Files:

  • Illegal redactions protected billionaires (e.g., Wexner, Leon Black), while the DOJ left identifiable victims’ information unredacted—an intimidation tactic, not an accident.

    "The point is that they were very intentional in protecting the people illegally with those redactions... specifically to scare the victims, intentionally left their identifying information in there, including for victims who hadn't come forward publicly."
    — Emma Vigeland (18:15)

• Accusations Against Donald Trump:

  • Ted Lieu urges the press to investigate the disturbing allegations against Donald Trump present in the Epstein files, emphasizing that, legally, patrons of Epstein’s trafficking parties could be criminally liable.

    "In those files, there’s highly disturbing allegations of Donald Trump raping children, of Donald Trump threatening to kill children... If you show up and patronize the establishment at that party, yes, you’re guilty because patronizing is part of the law, the federal sex trafficking law."
    — Rep. Ted Lieu (14:24)

2. Notable Quotes & Context

• On Billionaire Accountability:

  "Billionaires should not exist. Because, again, like, the best case scenario here is they are lunatics that will turn over power of attorney to a major sex trafficking conspiracy like intelligence operative."
  — Matt Binder (12:37)

• On Market Versus Justice:

  "You lose your job. That’s not what the justice system is. These people need to be actually put through a court process and tried for their alleged criminality because that's what justice actually is."
  — Emma Vigeland (04:39)

Key Segment Timings

• Wexner/DOJ Redactions: 07:09–12:37
• Prince Andrew arrest: 05:19–05:58
• Ted Lieu on Trump/DOJ: 14:24–16:22

II. Interview: Michael Edison Hayden on Idaho's Far-Right Hotbed

1. The Viral Incident & Enforcing Authoritarianism

• The show begins the segment with footage from a 2025 Republican town hall where a woman is forcibly removed by a private security group (Lear Asset Management), illustrating the normalization and empowerment of private, quasi-paramilitary force in local politics.

  "Not knowing who is messing with you here—that had resonance throughout 2025 and into 2026... This secrecy coming from the sort of fascist right..."
  — Michael Edison Hayden (26:08)

• The security company, deeply enmeshed with the far-right Kootenai County Republican Central Committee (KCRCC), and the county sheriff’s office, serve as enforcers for an increasingly extremist local party infrastructure.

2. History of Far-Right & White Nationalism in Idaho

• Idaho’s far-right roots date to the 1970s and 80s, when Aryan Nations leaders set up communities in the state.
• There was a lull after lawsuits following violence, but the COVID pandemic reignited recruitment and radicalization, especially as out-of-state extremists moved to Idaho, seeking a “white homeland.”

  "There was a brief period... in which extremism was always there... but people believed it was sort of under control. And it wasn’t until the pandemic... when it started to really grow."
  — Michael Edison Hayden (36:10)

3. The "Laboratory" of Far-Right Politics

• Emma draws a parallel between progressive laboratories like NYC and northern Idaho as a test bed for far-right strategies.
• Over the past decade, a Nazi or white nationalist faction has completely overtaken the regional Republican Party (KCRCC), formalizing white supremacist politics in local government operations.

4. Recent Players & Incidents

• Martin Sellner & Brittany Pettibone:

  • Sellner, European white nationalist (linked to the Christchurch shooter), attempted to settle and marry in Idaho, drawing support from local Republicans despite his notoriety.

• Dave Riley:

  • Far-right activist, Fuentes supporter, openly anti-Semitic, representing a new wave of neo-fascist “Catholic nationalist” organizing in the region. Hayden recounts his personal meeting with Riley, who openly blames “the Jews” for all problems and actively exploits pro-Palestine activism for anti-Semitic purposes.

    "Everything goes back to Jews and he is under the belief... he can really make inroads around that."
    — Michael Edison Hayden (45:51)

• Conflict Within the Far Right:

  • There’s ongoing tension between anti-Semitic nationalists (Riley’s circle) and far-right Christian Zionists, like those at Candlelight Church, who display large Israeli flags on stage and pray for figures like Justice Alito.

    "It is this conflict between sort of fellow Semitic, far right philosophy, far right church, and like a kind of anti-Semitic activism..."
    — Michael Edison Hayden (48:40)

5. National Implications & MAGA Fractures

• Idaho’s events exemplify trends elsewhere—masked paramilitary groups, Proud Boys’ migration to law enforcement, and the assimilation of extremist tactics into mainstream GOP politics.
• The national MAGA base is showing fracturing at the margins, particularly as the Epstein revelations implicate Donald Trump and heighten accusations of elite impunity and coverup, sparking some disaffection even among true believers.

  "The core remains unmoved, but we are seeing like a little bit of... the edges start to fade a little bit. That is kind of like what's happening, I think, a little bit."
  — Michael Edison Hayden (52:27)

Key Segment Timings

• Idaho far right overview: 23:19–34:05
• Neo-Nazi history: 34:05–38:23
• Sellner/Pettibone: 38:23–42:27
• Dave Riley/inter-church conflict: 45:15–50:06
• Idaho as national case study / MAGA rifts: 51:52–57:16

III. Additional Topics & Memorable Moments

• The Israeli Prison Death Penalty Bill & U.S. Parallels:

  • Emma and Matt detail new draconian measures in Israel targeting Palestinians and the broader implications for democratic rights and apartheid comparisons.

    "Now Israel’s not carried out an execution in more than 60 years... this is almost just like more formalizing their brutality even more so."
    — Emma Vigeland (61:15)

• Lighter Exchanges & Fun Half

  • The hosts riff on Prince Andrew’s potential prison fate, joke about “shackled Prince Andrew the pedophile,” and Brandon’s upcoming birthday.
  • Banter on current stories, audience engagement, and plugs for upcoming projects, including Michael Hayden’s forthcoming book, Strange People on the Hill.

Notable Quotes

• On U.S. Institutional Failure:

  "It’s a farce... Billionaires should not exist because having that level of wealth creates a psychosis. It’s a chicken or the egg situation, and it doesn’t really matter either way."
  — Emma Vigeland (12:12, 12:56)

• On Right-Wing Paramilitaries:

  "We can say that some people who might have signed up for the Proud Boys... now have a place to go where they can get paid to be Proud Boys. So why wouldn’t you do that?"
  — Michael Edison Hayden (32:47)

• On the Epstein Files’ Impact on MAGA:

  "I have never seen anything quite as damaging as this... It does seem like something not easily repaired and put together."
  — Michael Edison Hayden (52:27, 55:25)

Episode Timeline (Selected Timestamps)

• Epstein Developments and Accountability: 01:18–18:40
• Congressional clips on Wexner/Trump: 09:25–16:22
• Idaho Far Right Segment with Hayden: 23:19–58:38
  • Viral Idaho town hall: 24:21–29:14
  • Neo-Nazi history: 34:52–38:23
  • Sellner/Pettibone: 38:23–42:27
  • Dave Riley: 45:15–51:52
• Israel/Palestine Segment: 58:40–67:26
• Fun Half & Banter: 69:35 to end

Tone & Style

The episode maintains the irreverent, razor-sharp, and deeply informed tone characteristic of The Majority Report. Emma, Matt, and Michael blend humor, outrage, and nerdy analysis. The show oscillates between urgent condemnation of elite impunity (“these people need to be actually put through a court process...”) and deadpan observations (“Billionaires should not exist... they are lunatics...”). Hayden’s interview brings a sobering and granular look at embedded extremism, made lively by anecdotes and field reporting.

Further Reading & Resources

• Michael Edison Hayden’s Mother Jones article: "Who the F are these men?"
• Michael Edison Hayden’s forthcoming book (April 2026): Strange People on the Hill
• Representative Robert Garcia’s Oversight Committee testimony
• Rep. Ted Lieu on DOJ failures in the Epstein files
• Novara Media’s reporting on Israeli prison abuse

For full discussions, clips, and resources, visit Majority.FM.