New York State Young Republicans at center of chat scandal

ALBANY — LEADING MEMBERS OF several Young Republicans groups across the country, including the New York State Young Republicans, are under fire after a trove of leaked Telegram chatroom messages revealed racist and violent remarks, including praise for Hitler and jokes about gas chambers, exchanged among GOP activists in New York and other states, according to Politico.

Former state chair Peter Giunta, chief of staff to Staten Island Assemblymember Mike Reilly, and Bobby Walker, the state group’s current chair, were central figures in the chat, which spanned more than seven months and 2,900 pages. In one message, Giunta wrote, “Everyone that votes no is going to the gas chamber,” while Walker referred to rape as “epic.”

Giunta has since been let go by Reilly, according to the assemblymember. Other state Republican leaders swiftly condemned the rhetoric. Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt called it “indefensible,” and state GOP chair Ed Cox urged those involved to resign. Rep. Elise Stefanik, who previously praised Giunta’s leadership, said she was “appalled.”

Giunta apologized for the “inexcusable language,” alleging that the logs had been leaked as part of a dispute between his New York State Young Republicans and the city-based New York Young Republicans Club, while Walker called the remarks “wrong and hurtful.”

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