Sure is colorful, right? Politico reports they’ve obtained a Telegram chat between Young Republicans’ leaders named Pete Giunta, Bobby Walker, Anne KayKaty, Joe Maligno, Rachel Hope, Alex Dwyer. The “Everyone that votes no is going to the gas chamber,” is the then-New York State chair Guinta’s warning to those who do not support his bid to become national chair of the 15,000-strong GOP group for MAGAs aged 18 to 40. “Since Politico began making inquiries, one member of the group chat is no longer employed at their job and another’s job offer was rescinded. Prominent New York Republicans, including Rep. Elise Stefanik and state Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, have denounced the chat. And festering resentments among Young Republicans have now turned into public recriminations, including allegations of character assassination and extortion,” Politico writes.
“The more the political atmosphere is open and liberating – like it has been with the emergence of Trump and a more right wing GOP even before him – it opens up young people and older people to telling racist jokes, making racist commentaries in private and public,” said Texas A&M sociology professor and racism scholar Joe Feagin. “It’s chilling because they will act on these views.”