cover of episode S22 E2: Increasingly Strange

S22 E2: Increasingly Strange

2024/10/29
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Key Insights

Why did Megan Stoner initially stand out to Chloe Anagnos?

Megan Stoner initially stood out to Chloe Anagnos because she appeared much older than her actual age, around sixteen or seventeen, during a political parade in Carmel, Indiana. Chloe thought she was in her forties and assumed she was an older volunteer.

How did Megan Stoner's behavior during political events strike Chloe Anagnos?

Megan Stoner's behavior during political events struck Chloe Anagnos as peculiar. She would often sit in a corner and use her phone the entire time instead of interacting with people, which is typical at such events. This behavior contrasted with the usual goal of networking and socializing.

What did Megan Stoner claim about her interactions with politicians, according to Faith?

Megan Stoner claimed that she had been sexually assaulted by various politicians, including the former Speaker of the House, on a regular basis since she was eleven years old. She also alleged that these politicians were contacting Faith with sexual messages and threats.

How did Megan Stoner's relationship with Alex Brister evolve?

Megan Stoner's relationship with Alex Brister started as part of a supportive Facebook group for millennial women. Initially, Alex saw Megan as a lost and overwhelmed young person needing guidance. However, as Megan's posts became increasingly strange and traumatic, the group became concerned for her well-being and tried to offer support, which eventually led to frustration and anger.

What was the turning point for Chloe Anagnos regarding her interactions with Megan Stoner?

The turning point for Chloe Anagnos was when Megan Stoner volunteered to make phone calls for a political campaign but submitted a spreadsheet with all calls marked as 'not home,' which was statistically impossible. This incident made Chloe realize that Megan was not reliable and had falsified her work.

How did Megan Stoner's alleged behavior affect her reputation in the Indiana political scene?

Megan Stoner's alleged behavior, including falsifying data for political campaigns and making false claims about interactions with politicians, led to her being blackballed by many organizations in the Indiana political scene. Her reputation suffered as a result of these actions.

What was the initial impression of Megan Stoner by Justin, and how did it change?

Justin's initial impression of Megan Stoner was that she was a highly efficient and impressive volunteer, breaking records for phone calls and door knocking. However, this impression changed when it was discovered that she had falsified her responses, leading to her being asked to leave the campaign.

Chapters

Megan Stoner's early involvement in politics and her first interactions with Chloe Anagnos at a parade in Carmel, Indiana.
  • Megan Stoner met Chloe Anagnos at a parade in Carmel, Indiana.
  • Megan was perceived as older than her actual age (16-17 years old).
  • Megan's initial interactions were typical volunteer activities like handing out candy.

Shownotes Transcript

***Content Warning: **mature themes, false reporting, sex abuse of a child, sexual abuse, rape, threats of violence, sex trafficking, scams, fraud, emotional abuse, stalking, disability abuse. 

E2 Sources: 

Elwood teen's involvement in politics spans nearly half her life, by Matt McCutcheon for 13WTHR (Published: April 28, 2016 - Updated: July 21, 2016): https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/elwood-teens-involvement-in-politics-spans-nearly-half-her-life/531-afe62aa1-e251-41ef-9a2b-6119658cbd9b

Lawmaker wants to lower the age to run for the General Assembly, By Brandon Barger for TheStatehouseFile.com (Nov 14, 2019 -  Updated Oct 1, 2021): https://www.thestatehousefile.com/politics/elections/lawmaker-wants-to-lower-the-age-to-run-for-the-general-assembly/article_31eb550e-9e20-546e-a83d-e3d4f8d3a135.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share

Indiana legislator wants to lower age requirement for lawmakers to 18, by Kayla Sullivan for Fox59 (2019): https://fox59.com/news/politics/indiana-legislator-wants-to-lower-age-requirement-for-lawmakers-to-18/amp/

High school student focuses on way to change Indiana constitution, by 

Christpher Stephens for The Herald-Bulletin (April 6, 2016): https://www.southbendtribune.com/story/news/local/2016/04/06/high-school-student-focuses-on-way-to-change-indiana-constitutio/46629093/

Alleged sexual encounter between Brian Bosma and an intern: What we know, by 

Ryan Martin, Kaitlin Lange and Tony Cook for the IndyStar (October 10, 2018): https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/elections/2018/10/10/brian-bosma-alleged-sexual-encounter-intern-kandy-green-what-we-know/1537453002/

Resources:

Free + Confidential Resources + Safety Tips: somethingwaswrong.com/resources)   

Theme Song & Artwork: 

Thank you to NeonHoney and GIBBANEZ for covering our theme song, Glad Rags’s original song* U Think U *this season. 

NeonHoney’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/neonhoneymusic/

NeonHoney’s Website: https://neonhoneymusic.com)

Gibbanez IG: https://www.instagram.com/@gibbanezmusic/

Gibbanez Linktree: https://linktr.ee/gibbanezmusic)

Glad Rags: https://www.gladragsmusic.com/

The S22 cover art is by the Amazing Sara Stewart)

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