WASHINGTON — The executive committee of the New York Republican State Committee voted on Thursday, October 17, to suspend the state’s Young Republican chapter after a series of racist and offensive messages surfaced in a private group chat.
According to reports first published by Politico, the messages included racial slurs targeting Black people, references that glorified rape, praise for Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, and disturbing jokes about putting political opponents in gas chambers. Some messages even expressed approval of Republicans who “support slavery.”
Ed Cox, chairman of the New York Republican State Committee, called the messages “vile” and said the behavior had no place in the party. “The Young Republicans were already grossly mismanaged, and the vile language of the sort made in the group chat has no place in our party or its subsidiary organizations,” Cox stated.
The controversial texts were exchanged over a seven-month period in a chat titled RESTOREYR WAR ROOM. Many of the messages were sent by Peter Giunta, the former chair of the New York State Young Republicans. Giunta, who previously served as chief of staff to New York Assemblyman Michael Reilly, was immediately dismissed from his position following the revelations.
Several other leaders of the New York chapter, as well as Young Republican leaders in Kansas, Arizona, and Vermont, were implicated in sending offensive messages. The fallout in Kansas was particularly severe. The Kansas Republican Party denounced Alex Dwyer, chair of the Kansas Young Republicans, and vice chair William Hendrix. Hendrix was fired from his role in the Attorney General’s Office after the messages were made public, and the Kansas Young Republicans chapter became inactive as a result of multiple resignations among both leaders and rank-and-file members.
Danedri Herbert, chair of the Kansas GOP, condemned the messages in a public statement. “Party leadership is disgusted by these comments, which do not represent the beliefs or values of Kansas Republicans,” she said.
The incidents have raised questions about the oversight and accountability within Young Republican organizations across the country. Party officials emphasized that swift action was necessary to preserve the integrity and public image of the Republican Party.
“This is a reminder that our organizations must uphold standards of conduct that reflect the principles of the Republican Party,” Cox added. “We cannot and will not tolerate language or behavior that is racist, hateful, or otherwise offensive.”
The New York Republican State Committee’s decision to suspend the chapter underscores the growing concern among political leaders over extremist views circulating within youth political groups. Party officials have stated that they will review the chapter’s leadership structure and institute measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
While some Republicans argue that the actions were taken to protect the party’s reputation, others see it as a necessary step toward addressing a broader issue of radicalization within political organizations.
As investigations continue, the Republican Party faces the challenge of balancing the involvement of young members with maintaining ethical standards and a commitment to inclusivity. The outcome of these reviews could set a precedent for how political youth organizations are governed across the United States.