Jennica Pounds & 'Unelected' Co-Author Joshua Lisec: The Interview

Who is DataRepublican, and how did her investigations into government spending lead to one of the most revealing books about unelected power in America? In this interview, Jennica Pounds, the researcher known as Data Republican on Twitter and X, joins her coauthor Joshua Lisec to discuss their new book, UNELECTED, published by Passage Press. Drawing on Jennica Pounds' investigations into federal grants, nonprofit organizations, and government funding networks, the UNELECTED book examines what the authors call the NGO Administrative Complex. How did this sprawling system of government agencies, NGOs, foundations, and contractors develop? Who controls the money? And how much influence can institutions exercise without being directly accountable to voters? Joshua Lisec and Jennica Pounds discuss the history, financial relationships, and political philosophies explored in their book. For anyone wondering who is Data Republican or who is Jennica Pounds, this conversation introduces the software engineer and data analyst whose research gained national attention in 2025. Through DataRepublican Twitter investigations and her work on DataRepublican X, Jennica has developed tools for tracing government spending and examining relationships between organizations receiving taxpayer funding. Whether you've followed Data Republican Twitter discussions, encountered her research on Data Republican X, or simply want to understand the NGO Administrative Complex, this Jennica Pounds interview explains the research behind her conclusions. Joshua Lisec, also known as Josh Lisec, discusses the process of turning extensive data analysis into an accessible historical narrative. Readers familiar with Joshua Lisec books will recognize the combination of investigative research and storytelling that distinguishes this Joshua Lisec book. The authors also discuss how their collaboration developed, what surprised them during the research, and why understanding the NGO Administrative Complex requires looking beyond individual politicians or administrations. Published by Passage Publishing under its Passage Press imprint, UNELECTED examines questions that extend well beyond another Trump book or a single presidential administration. From the historical development of supranational institutions to the modern relationships between federal agencies and nonprofit organizations, the authors present their case for how unelected networks acquire and exercise influence. If you've been following DataRepublican on Twitter, searching for the identity behind the account, or looking for the latest Jennica Pounds book, this conversation offers a chance to hear directly from both authors about their work. Even searches with common misspellings such as Jessica Pounds, Data Rebpublican X, or NGO Admin Complx lead back to the same subject: the people, institutions, and funding arrangements examined in UNELECTED. Watch this Joshua Lisec interview with Jennica Pounds to learn how the book came together, what their research uncovered, and why the authors believe the relationship between elected government and unelected institutions deserves much greater public scrutiny.