Some Young Republicans exposed in racist text group chat have resigned after revelations

Some of the Young Republican leaders whose “revolting” racist texts were exposed have lost their jobs after the messages were leaked in a bombshell report.

Young GOP leaders in the New York and Kansas chapters have found themselves out of work after their group chat messages, which reportedly said that rape was “epic,” referred to Black people as “monkeys,” and praised Adolf Hitler, were exposed by Politico.

The 2,900 pages of text messages sent between early January and mid-August this year laid bare how those who represent the future of the GOP talked behind closed doors.

Former president of the New York State Young Republicans, Peter Giunta, a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, has been fired as chief of staff for New York Assemblymember Mike Reilly.

Giunta, who allegedly said that anyone who votes against him in his failed bid to become chair of the Young Republican National Federation should be sent to the gas chambers, created the group and was one of the most prolific members, according to the outlet.

The disgraced former GOP adviser, who appeared on Fox 5 NY’s Politics Unusual last month, allegedly called Black people “monkeys,” referred to them as “the watermelon people” and said he “loved” Hitler in the expletive messages revealed by Politico.

Joseph Maligno, whose social media profile previously identified him as general counsel for the New York State Young Republicans, is no longer employed by the New York State Unified Court System following his alleged messages about gas chambers.

“Can we fix the showers? Gas chambers don’t fit the Hitler aesthetic,” Maligno allegedly said in response to a message from Giunta.

William Hendrix, who was vice chair of the Kansas Young Republicans at the time of the chat, is “no longer employed” at the office of Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, according to Politico. Hendrix allegedly used the n-word more than a dozen times throughout the chat group. The Kansas chapter of the Young Republicans has been deactivated in light of the scandal, according to the Kansas Reflector.

Bobby Walker, who allegedly described rape as “epic” was he was vice chair of the New York State Young Republicans, will no longer be joining the campaign of New York congressional candidate Peter Oberacker, according to Politico.

Vermont state Sen. Samuel Douglass, head of the state’s Young Republicans, was also implicated in the chat and allegedly chimed in on a racist exchange with Giunta. He is now facing calls to resign, including from Vermont’s GOP governor, Phil Scott.

While prominent Democrats and Republican lawmakers alike expressed outrage over the appalling messages, Vice President JD Vance did not condemn the racist and misogynistic language allegedly used by the Young Republican leaders.

The vice president tried to shift the attention onto Jay Jones, the Democratic candidate in Virginia’s attorney general race, after text messages were unearthed in which he suggested his political opponent was worse than Hitler and should be shot.

“This is far worse than anything said in a college group chat, and the guy who said it could become the AG of Virginia,” Vance said in a post on X. “I refuse to join the pearl clutching when powerful people call for political violence,” he added.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul called on Trump to condemn the Young Republican leaders.

“Some bad apples? These are the future Republican Party,” Hochul said after the report broke. “This is a whole lot of people saying things that are so disgusting and so abhorrent that everybody from the president on down should condemn them.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the chat was “revolting” and “disgusting.”

New York Rep. Yvette Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said that the messages show “white supremacy is thriving on the right.”

“The future of the Republican Party proudly embraces bigotry that belongs in the past, and every American needs to recognize how dangerous that is,” Clarke said in a post on X.

In a statement, the Young Republicans national organization said it was “appalled” by the language used by the GOP leaders.

“Such behavior is disgraceful, unbecoming of any Republican, and stands in direct opposition to the values our movement represents,” the board of directors said. “Those involved must immediately resign from all positions within their state and local Young Republican organizations. We must hold ourselves to the highest standards of integrity, respect, and professionalism.”

Giunta and Walker both apologized but also questioned the veracity of the messages in a statement to Politico.

Maligno and Douglass did not respond to requests for comment, while Hendrix could not be reached for comment.

The White House did not respond when approached for comment by The Independent.