Podcast hosts and disinformation expert dissect the rise of left-wing conspiracy theories and the harassment tactics of 'StewAnon.' | Kinexis.AI
This report provides a probabilistic, AI-generated analysis. It may contain errors and should not be relied on as the sole basis for legal, employment, medical, or safety-critical decisions.
Podcast hosts and disinformation expert dissect the rise of left-wing conspiracy theories and the harassment tactics of 'StewAnon.'
Low Risk
No significant concern signals were detected in this content.
This podcast episode features hosts Jared Holt, Jay McKenzie, and Griff Sombke discussing the phenomenon of left-wing conspiracy theories, with a specific focus on anti-disinformation activist Jim Stewartson. The hosts critique Stewartson's rapid pivot into the space, his lack of evidentiary standards, and his tendency to attack critics with absolute certainty.
Guest Mike Rothschild, a disinformation researcher, joins the conversation to discuss his personal experience being targeted by Stewartson's harassment campaigns. Rothschild emphasizes that the vulnerability to conspiracy theories is a universal human trait driven by a desire for easy answers, and he contrasts his own rigorous research methods with the unchecked claims prevalent on platforms like Substack.
The episode concludes with a call for the political left to hold its own influencers accountable, warning listeners to maintain a healthy skepticism and demand the burden of proof from anyone making grand conspiratorial claims online.
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P1S4
Requires human review. These interpretations are AI-generated assessments, not definitive conclusions.
high
The audio is assessed as an authentic recording of a podcast episode.
Caveats
The analysis relies on the assumption that the secondary audio clips played by the hosts were not deceptively edited prior to inclusion in the podcast.
Requires human review. These interpretations are AI-generated assessments, not definitive conclusions.
Jared Holt
Jared Holt is a journalist and researcher specializing in domestic extremism and right-wing movements. He is a resident fellow at the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) and the host of the 'Posting Through It' podcast.
Will Sommer
Will Sommer is a media reporter who covers conservative media and conspiracy theories. In March 2025, he left The Washington Post to join The Bulwark. He is the author of 'Trust the Plan,' a book about the QAnon movement.
Mike Rothschild
Mike Rothschild is a journalist and author who researches conspiracy theories, hoaxes, and disinformation. He is the author of 'The Storm Is Upon Us,' a comprehensive book on the QAnon movement, and frequently serves as an expert on the topic.
Jim Stewartson
Jim Stewartson is a former alternate reality game developer and tech CEO who became an anti-disinformation activist. He has been criticized by extremism researchers for promoting his own conspiracy theories (dubbed 'StewAnon'), most notably his unproven claims that Michael Flynn created QAnon as a psychological operation.
Michael Flynn
Michael Flynn is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general and former National Security Advisor. He has been a prominent figure in the QAnon movement and filed a defamation lawsuit against Jim Stewartson for claiming he invented QAnon. In March 2026, Flynn settled a malicious prosecution lawsuit with the Justice Department for $1.2 million.
Event Context
The video in question is Episode #186 of Jared Holt's podcast 'Posting Through It,' titled 'StewAnon (with Did Nothing Wrong, feat. Mike Rothschild),' released on March 20, 2023. The episode was a collaboration with the 'Did Nothing Wrong' podcast and featured Mike Rothschild. The hosts discussed Jim Stewartson, an anti-disinformation activist whose unverified claims—such as alleging Michael Flynn orchestrated QAnon—have been criticized by researchers as conspiracy theories themselves. The user description's claim that Stewartson was 'vindicated in court' is misleading; while a related defamation lawsuit filed by Flynn against Rick Wilson (who retweeted Stewartson's claims) was dismissed on First Amendment grounds in December 2024, the courts ruled the statements were protected opinion, not proven facts.
186: StewAnon (with 'Did Nothing Wrong', feat. Mike Rothschild) - Apple Podcasts · 2023-03-20
Searched 2026-04-27
Analysis Gap0:00 - 10:00
Content policy restriction
This time window (0:00–10:00) could not be analyzed. The AI engine was restricted from processing this content (RECITATION). No behavioral data is available for this period.
Requires human review. These interpretations are AI-generated assessments, not definitive conclusions.
Speaker Profiles
S1— Jared Holt(host)
Voice
Accent / Dialect
American · Standard American
Register
casual
Pace
150 wpm
Pitch
mid-range, conversational
Credibility Assessment
Specificity
high
Consistency
high
Deception Indicators
Qualifier Inflation
none
Pace Changes
none
Pause Anomalies
none
Influence Tactics
40:41rapport_buildingShares a personal anecdote about being unfairly labeled to build solidarity with the guest.
S2— Jay McKenzie(host)
Voice
Accent / Dialect
American · Standard American
Register
conversational
Pace
150 wpm
Pitch
mid-range, slightly animated
Credibility Assessment
Specificity
high
Consistency
high
Deception Indicators
Qualifier Inflation
none
Pace Changes
none
Pause Anomalies
none
Influence Tactics
22:58logical_framingUses a strong metaphor to highlight the self-indulgent nature of the subject's documentary.
S3— Griff Sombke(host)
Voice
Accent / Dialect
American · Standard American
Register
formal when reading, casual otherwise
Pace
145 wpm
Pitch
mid-range, steady
Credibility Assessment
Specificity
high
Consistency
high
Deception Indicators
Qualifier Inflation
none
Pace Changes
none
Pause Anomalies
none
Influence Tactics
15:16narrative_guidanceReads direct quotes to establish a factual baseline for the subsequent critique.
S4— Jim Stewartson(audio clip subject)
Voice
Accent / Dialect
American · Standard American
Register
confrontational
Pace
140 wpm
Pitch
elevated, intense
Credibility Assessment
Specificity
low
Consistency
low
SCAN Flags
hyperbolic language, ad hominem attacks
Deception Indicators
Qualifier Inflation
none
Pace Changes
none
Pause Anomalies
frequent mid-sentence pauses
Narrative Gaps
lack of evidentiary support for broad claims
Influence Tactics
12:46fear_appealClaims a specific individual is 'brainfucking millions' to elevate the perceived threat level.
45:49ad_hominemDirectly attacks the guest as a 'larping troll' to undermine their credibility.
S5— Mike Rothschild(guest)
Voice
Accent / Dialect
American · Standard American
Register
expert
Pace
155 wpm
Pitch
mid-range, authoritative
Credibility Assessment
Specificity
high
Consistency
high
Deception Indicators
Qualifier Inflation
none
Pace Changes
none
Pause Anomalies
none
Influence Tactics
37:58epistemological_framingExplains the logical concept of the burden of proof to dismantle conspiratorial accusations.
34:44credibility_contrastContrasts his rigorous publishing process with the lack of standards on platforms like Substack.
Narrative Analysis
Core Frame
The episode frames left-wing conspiracy theories and anti-disinformation grifters as a mirror image of the right-wing extremism they claim to oppose, emphasizing the need for rigorous evidentiary standards across the political spectrum.
Rhetorical Strategy
The hosts and guest utilize a contrast strategy, juxtaposing the measured, fact-based approach of professional researchers against the emotionally volatile, evidence-free claims of a specific online personality.
Framing Choices
Framing the subject's behavior as an 'unhealthy obsession'.Framing the broader issue as a universal human vulnerability to easy answers, rather than a strictly partisan failing.
In-Group / Out-Group Signals
Ingroup: Responsible researchers, fact-checkers, and critical thinkers who demand evidence ('we').Outgroup: Grifters, toxic accounts, and conspiracy theorists who operate on 'vibes' and absolute certainty ('they').
Coordination Indicators
The three hosts demonstrate high coordination typical of a rehearsed podcast format, utilizing structured hand-offs, prepared audio clips, and shared rhetorical goals.
Target Audience Signals
The discussion is tailored to an audience familiar with internet subcultures, disinformation research, and QAnon lore, specifically warning left-leaning listeners to police their own ranks.
Propaganda Techniques
46:24
Name-calling
Stewartson calling Rothschild a 'larping troll' and accusing him of intentionally lying.
12:46
Fear appeal
Stewartson claiming that Mike Flynn is 'brainfucking millions' and directly causing mass violence.
System
Automated behavioral analysis with expression coding. Video frames, audio, speech content, and temporal patterns are analyzed across multiple modalities.
Expression Coding
Expressions are classified using action unit analysis and mapped to emotion prototypes using probabilistic matching, not deterministic rules.
Expression Taxonomy
The system classifies expressions into 7 basic emotions, 15 compound emotions, and an ambiguous category (23 types total):
Each expression event receives a confidence score from 0.0 to 1.0 based on visibility, duration, context, and cultural fit. Scores reflect model certainty in its classification, not ground truth accuracy.
Incongruence Detection
Speech-expression incongruence is flagged when the detected facial expression contradicts the concurrent verbal content. Incongruence is an indicator for further investigation, not evidence of deception.
Important Disclaimers
This analysis is not a substitute for expert human behavioral analysis.
Automated expression coding has known limitations including sensitivity to lighting, angle, resolution, and occlusion.
Cultural display rules, individual baseline differences, and medical conditions can affect expression patterns.
All findings are indicators and hypotheses, never verdicts. Do not use this report as the sole basis for legal, medical, employment, or safety-critical decisions.
Audio Quality
The recording contains mixed audio sources, including primary podcast microphones and secondary playback of external audio clips.
Detection Challenges
Diarization errors in the source data resulted in overlapping speaker IDs across segments, requiring manual consolidation based on contextual clues and named entities.
Cultural Considerations
Comprehension of the narrative relies heavily on familiarity with niche internet subcultures, the QAnon movement, and specific online personalities.
Confidence Caveats
The time window 00:00–10:00 could not be analyzed due to AI content policy restrictions (RECITATION). No behavioral data or assessment is available for this period. Furthermore, the behavioral assessment of Jim Stewartson is limited to curated audio clips selected by his critics.
Probabilistic analysis. This report was generated by artificial intelligence and may contain errors, inaccuracies, or subjective interpretations. Authenticity signals and behavioral patterns are model-based assessments that should be one input among many. Nothing herein constitutes professional, legal, medical, or investigative advice. Use this report to inform your judgment, especially before making financial, reputational, or safety-critical decisions. Kinexis.AI disclaims all liability for decisions made based on this content.
\u00a9 2026 Web3 Studios LLC. All rights reserved. This Kinexis.AI report contains proprietary analytical frameworks, structured analysis, and compilation of findings that are protected by copyright. The AI-generated analytical content within this report is provided under license. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or republication of this report, in whole or in part, is prohibited without prior written permission.
