WASHINGTON ‒ The Young Republican National Federation called for the immediate resignations of leaders in the organization exposed in a Politico story to have sent racist, antisemitic and other derogatory text messages to one another in a private chat.

Included in the text messages in the Telegram chat are racial epithets disparaging Black people; someone calling rape “epic”; the same individual writing in support of genocidal Nazi German dictator Adolf Hitler; jokes about putting political opponents in gas chambers; and praise for Republicans who “support slavery.”

"We are appalled by the vile and inexcusable language revealed in the Politico article published today," the Young Republicans' board of directors said in a statement Oct. 14. "Such behavior is disgraceful, unbecoming of any Republican, and stands in direct opposition to the values our movement represents.

"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," the organization said.

Several of the text messages, written over seven months in a chat titled "RESTOREYR WAR ROOM," were from Peter Giunta, former chair of the New York State Young Republicans. Text messages also came from three other leaders in the New York chapter as well as Young Republican leaders in Kansas, Arizona and Vermont.

Giunta, who was most recently chief of staff for Republican New York Assembly member Mike Reilly, is no longer working for the lawmaker after the report, Politico reported.

Politico wrote that the messages "reveal a culture where racist, antisemitic and violent rhetoric circulate freely − and where the Trump-era loosening of political norms has made such talk feel less taboo among those positioning themselves as the party’s next leaders."

VP Vance dismisses 'pearl clutching' over texts

The Young Republican National Federation, which has members between the ages of 18 and 40, has chapters in states across the country.

Democrats seized on the Politico report. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries posted photos of Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-New York, and Rep. Mike Lawler, with some of the New York Young Republicans detailed in the story. Jeffries said they've been "palling around with these racist, antisemitic and bigoted 'Young Republicans' for years."

Lawler denounced the group chat, calling the comments "disgusting" and demanding the resignations of all Young Republican leaders who made them. Stefanik also condemned the remarks to Politico through a spokesperson.

Vice President JD Vance, however, pushed back at outcries over the chat group. He pointed to text messages recently exposed from Virginia Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones in which Jones joked the Republican statehouse speaker should get "two bullets to the head" and expressed hope his two children would die.

"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."

Shortly after Vance's statement, Stefanik echoed the same sentiment in a post on X. She accused "Democrats hyperventilating about this latest Politico hit piece" of having a double standard when it comes to the rhetoric of Jones.

"Mind you, these were not even candidates for elected office," Stefanik said, referring to the leaders of Young Republicans.

Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Young Republicans call for immediate resignations of leaders who made racist texts in chat

Reporting by Joey Garrison, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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