New York State Republicans voted Friday to disband the party’s chapter for younger members, according to Politico, after a damning report revealed that leaders of Young Republican groups across the country had engaged in a jarringly offensive group chat that glorified Adolf Hitler and sexual violence.
Newsday, a Long Island–based newspaper, was first to report that the state Republican leadership was planning to disband the chapter.
Tuesday’s report from Politico sparked widespread condemnation, although some high-profile Republicans defended the young people. Several of the texts had come from members of New York State Young Republicans.
The former chair of the group, Peter Giunta, reportedly wrote in the chat at one point, “I love Hitler.”
Giunta had been encouraging others to vote for him to chair the Young Republicans’ national organization, which represents voters aged 18-40.
