New York State Young Republicans put in timeout after racist messages exposed

New York State's Conservative Youth Group Put on Hold Over Racist Messages Exposed

A New York State chapter of the Republican youth organization has been temporarily suspended due to widespread outrage over racist and inflammatory messages shared by its members in a private group chat.

According to sources, many GOP operatives from multiple states participated in the online conversation, which included fond discussions about rape, slavery, Hitler, and gas chambers for their political opponents. The comments were described as vile and unacceptable by the Republican committee in New York, who voted unanimously to suspend the organization's authorization to operate at a statewide level.

The decision comes after Vice President JD Vance downplayed the severity of the situation, saying that the messages were just "kids" making "stupid jokes." However, the reality is that adults were involved and shared racist sentiments, which has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation.

Some of the most disturbing messages uncovered in the leaked group chat included comments from Peter Giunta, the former leader of the New York State Young Republicans, who referred to Black people as "watermelon people" and discussed putting opponents in gas chambers. Fellow member Annie Kaykaty was also quoted saying she was ready to watch people burn.

The fallout from the leaked messages has continued throughout the week, with more members associated with the chat losing job opportunities. The New York State Young Republicans' suspension is one of the most severe responses to date, compared to other chapters that have resisted calls for their involved members to resign.

New York's Republican committee Chair Ed Cox described the group as "grossly mismanaged" and stated that "vile language has no place in our party or its subsidiary organizations." The group may be reconstituted at a later date.

omg what is wrong with some ppl?! this is not just about the GOP, it's about how we treat each other as human beings. Racism and hate speech have NO PLACE in our society, period! I'm glad NY state took action to suspend this group, but let's be real, JD Vance downplaying this is just enabling these toxic behaviors . And what's with the "kids making stupid jokes" excuse? That's not a joke, that's a serious case of racism and hate!

I'm low-key shocked by this . I mean, it's not like we haven't seen racist messages pop up online before, but the fact that adults are getting away with this stuff is what really gets me . JD Vance's attempt to downplay it just makes it worse - 'kids' making "stupid jokes" doesn't cut it when you're sharing vile thoughts about people being gassed . And Peter Giunta's comments? Unbelievable . Watermelon people?! Come on... this is what happens when we let online anonymity go to our heads . I'm glad the New York State committee is taking action, but it's about time someone held these people accountable .

Ugh, this is so disheartening . I mean, come on guys... you can't just let racism slide like it's no big deal. JD Vance saying those "kids" were making stupid jokes is wild . Like, nope, adults are involved and it's not a joke at all. It's time for some real accountability .

I think the worst part is how these people try to downplay it like it's just a minor infraction . Newsflash: when you share racist messages online, it's not just about one person saying something stupid, it's about perpetuating hate and intolerance .

The fact that they're suspending the group's authorization to operate is a good start , but we need more than that. We need real change from within the party . Can't wait to see how this all plays out .

I don’t usually comment but this whole thing is super messed up . I mean, come on, people sharing racist messages like it's just harmless joking? That's not okay at all . It's disgusting to think that adults were involved in this and didn't speak out sooner. The fact that JD Vance downplayed the severity of it is mind-boggling .

And Peter Giunta and Annie Kaykaty sharing those vile messages? Unbelievable . I don’t get why people can be so ignorant and hateful. It's not just about the party or politics, it's about basic human decency and respect for others .

The fact that some members lost job opportunities and the organization was suspended is a good start, but I wish more people would take a stand against this kind of hate and intolerance . We need to do better than tolerating racism and ignorance in our communities .

Ugh, this is so messed up I mean, come on guys, how do you even say that stuff? Like, Peter Giunta's comment about Black people being "watermelon people" is straight out of the 1800s... And Annie Kaykaty wanting to watch people burn? That's just insane

I'm all for free speech and debate, but when it gets this dark and hateful, someone needs to call you out on it. The fact that these adults were involved in sharing racist messages is just disgusting...

I don't think JD Vance's response was fair at all. Like, "kids making stupid jokes"? That's not the point! This wasn't some schoolyard prank; this was a group of adults sharing vile language and hurtful sentiments.

The fact that New York State put the group on hold is about time... It's clear that their leadership has no idea how to manage these kinds of situations. And let's be real, if they can't even handle racist messages from one of their own members, how are they supposed to represent the rest of the party?

I'm so worried about this, it's like a nightmare come true . How can people let themselves get caught up in that kind of hate speech? It's not just the individuals who said those disgusting things, but also those who enabled and defended them - like VP JD Vance, his comments were way off base . This is exactly why we need more accountability and transparency in our politics. We can't just sweep this under the rug or blame it on "kids making stupid jokes". The fact that adults were involved and shared such vile sentiments is a major red flag . It's disheartening to see that some people still think racism is acceptable, but at least NY state is taking a stand .

I'm not surprised by this kind of thing, you know? It's like when we see a mirror reflection of ourselves in others, it can be pretty confronting. These people were representing a whole movement and they went and revealed their true colors. The question is what does that say about us as a society? Can we just ignore it or do we need to take a closer look at our own biases and privilege?

It's easy to point fingers but the truth is these are adults making decisions, grown-ups who have been entrusted with leadership roles. They're supposed to be setting an example for others, not perpetuating hate speech.

I guess this whole thing just goes to show that we still got a lot of work to do when it comes to creating a more inclusive and respectful environment. We need to make sure our own house is in order before we start trying to fix everyone else's problems.

omg what is wrong with some ppl?! racist comments are NEVER okay like who makes jokes about rape, slavery & gas chambers?? this isnt funny its hate speech and to think some ppl were saying it was just "kids being stupid" wow how outta touch can u be? i hope the org gets reconstituted but with stricter rules & accountability

this is so sickening I mean i know we should never expect perfect from politicians or groups but to see adults sharing racist messages like they're just 'kids being stupid' it's not right and the fact that JD Vance downplayed it makes me wanna vomit the reality is that these are full-grown people who are disgusting and unrepresentative of what we should stand for as a society

Ugh, this is really depressing . I mean, I knew some people from my age group who were part of conservative groups but I never thought they'd actually say things like that . It's not just the content of those messages, it's that these are adults we're talking about, not kids making "stupid jokes" . I get why the New York State committee decided to put them on hold - their language is genuinely vile and unacceptable . And JD Vance's response was so tone-deaf . The fact that some members lost jobs already says a lot about how serious this situation should be taken. Maybe this will make people think twice before joining those groups or supporting the party in general .

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this . As a parent, it's terrifying to think about the kind of people our kids are growing up with and the things they're being exposed to online . The fact that adults were part of this private group chat sharing racist messages is just sickening . And for someone like JD Vance to downplay it, that's just not right . It takes a village, folks! We need to be holding our leaders and organizations accountable for this kind of behavior . My kids are always asking me about the world and how we're supposed to be good people, and this is what they come up against? No way, not on my watch .

Ugh, this is wild - I mean, how did it even come to this? A whole group of GOPers sharing racist and genocidal vibes like they're at some twisted game night... meanwhile JD Vance is over here downplaying the severity of it all with that "kids making stupid jokes" comment . And can we talk about Peter Giunta's comments for a sec?! Like, watermelon people? Gas chambers? Are we seriously living in 1942 or what? The New York State Young Republicans suspension is the bare minimum - I hope they don't get reinstated anytime soon . Anyway, this whole thing has me shook and I'm loving every minute of it

omg what is wrong with people!!!! these aren't just some random kids making stupid jokes, adults are involved and sharing racist sentiments its like a whole different level of disgusting . i mean come on, gas chambers? are you kidding me?! and to make matters worse joe biden should be addressing this instead of the republican committee i'm so over the politicians being all "its just politics" no it's not just politics when you're talking about racism and hate groups

ugh this is so disheartening the fact that adults can come together share these kinda vile messages is just messed up I'm not surprised though, it's like we've been seeing more and more of these kinds of incidents lately where people are caught sharing racist or inflammatory content online and no one seems to care

I think it's time for a bigger conversation about accountability in our institutions. Just because the VP might downplay it doesn't mean that what happened wasn't serious. We need to hold ourselves and each other accountable for the words we choose to share

this is wild how one private chat can expose so much of what some people are really thinking the fact that grown adults are sharing racist and violent thoughts about others is just insane and unacceptable i'm not surprised that the republican committee had to step in and put an end to it, but I do think JD Vance's response was super tone-deaf he needs to acknowledge that these comments were more than just "kids being stupid" they're a sign of a deeper problem with racism and extremism in our country

I don’t usually comment but I gotta say, this is wild . Like, how do people go from being all about freedom and equality to spewing out hate speech like it's nothing? It's not just the messages themselves that are racist and disgusting, it's the fact that adults were involved in sharing them and they're trying to downplay the severity of it. JD Vance saying it was "just kids making stupid jokes" is a whole other level of ignorance . And what really gets me is that this group is supposed to be promoting conservatism and values, but instead they're representing themselves as bigots . It's super important for us to hold these organizations accountable for their actions and make sure they don't spread hate and intolerance .

I'm so disappointed to hear about this from my NY friends. It's crazy how some people can be so blind to the harm their words can cause. Like, who needs gas chambers as a joke? And what's with the watermelon comment? That stuff is straight out of a racist playbook. The fact that it was all just a private chat doesn't make it okay, either. If you're gonna say it, own up to saying it and apologize for it. Don't try to downplay it or blame it on "kids being kids" when there are adults involved. It's not cute, it's not funny, and it needs to stop ASAP!

OMG, like, how can you even share those kinda messages?! It's disgusting what adults are capable of, especially when it comes to something as sensitive as racism. I'm not surprised that the chapter got suspended tho, but I wish they would've taken more action sooner.

I mean, JD Vance trying to downplay it and say it was just "kids being stupid" is, like, so out of touch . The fact that there were adults involved and shared racist sentiments is a whole different story. It's not about kids making jokes, it's about grown-ups spreading hate and intolerance.

And Peter Giunta and Annie Kaykaty are, like, seriously disturbing . Their comments are sickening and I'm glad they're losing job opportunities. The New York State Young Republicans' suspension is a good start, but I hope more chapters take note of their mistakes and make some changes. We need to create a safer and more inclusive environment for everyone

I mean, can you even imagine what kind of messed up minds are out there thinking it's okay to joke about rape and slavery?! It's like, how do you even come up with that stuff?! These so-called "adults" who were part of the group chat, saying they're just making "stupid jokes"? Are you kidding me?! You think that kind of toxic crap is funny? Newsflash: it's not funny, it's disgusting! And to make matters worse, a whole bunch of people are losing their jobs because of this... but honestly, I don't know if that's enough. Like, shouldn't there be consequences for being this vile and hurtful?! The fact that the group is just being put on hold instead of actually being dismantled feels like a cop-out to me. I mean, what's next? Are they gonna bring back the confederate flag or something?! It's gotta stop, you know? We can't keep tolerating this kind of hate speech and racism in our society... it's just not okay anymore