Full list of Young Republicans involved in offensive chats - Newsweek

S E E D E D   C O N T E N T

By Jordan King

US News Reporter

A number of Young Republicans have been implicated in a scandal over racist, antisemitic and misogynistic comments in leaked chat messages.

Politico obtained 2,900 pages of exchanges over seven months among a dozen Young Republican leaders in New York, Kansas, Arizona and Vermont. Many of these young politicians are now facing calls to step down.

Some of those involved referred to Black people as monkeys, opponents in gas chambers, and spoke of raping enemies.

The board of directors of the Young Republicans National Federation has said it is "appalled by the vile and inexcusable language revealed in the Politico article."

"Such behavior is disgraceful, unbecoming of any Republican, and stands in direct opposition to the values our movement represents," it said. "Those involved must immediately resign from all positions within their state and local Young Republican organizations."

Full List of Young Republicans Involved in Offensive Chats

• Bobby Walker - New York
• Peter Giunta - New York
• Joe Maligno - New York
• Alex Dwyer - Kansas
• William Hendrix - Kansas
• Annie Kaykaty - New York
• Luke Mosiman - Arizona
• Samuel Douglass - Vermont
• Brianna Douglass - Vermont

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Comments In The Group Chat

Bobby Walker

Walker, the vice chair of the New York State Young Republicans at the time, called rape "epic" in the following conversation reported by Politico:

Mosiman: "The Spanish came to America and had sex with every single woman."

Dwyer: "Sex? It was rape."

Walker: "Epic."

Walker has since told Politico that he believes part of the chat "may have been altered, taken out of context, or otherwise manipulated." He added that the "private exchanges were obtained and released in a way clearly intended to inflict harm."

But he said: "There is no excuse for the language and tone in messages attributed to me. The language is wrong and hurtful, and I sincerely apologize. This has been a painful lesson about judgment and trust, and I am committed to moving forward with greater care, respect, and accountability in everything I say and do."

Peter Giunta

Giunta, who was chair of the New York Young Republicans at the time, made a joke about gas chambers in June, according to Politico. This occurred during a conversation about an upcoming vote on whether he should become chair of the Young Republican National Federation.

Giunta: "Everyone that votes no is going to the gas chamber. And everyone that endorsed but then votes for us is going to the gas chamber."

Walker: "If they voted for us why would they be gassed?"

Giunta: "We only want true believers."

In February, Giunta voiced his backing for a group of teenage Republicans in New York who "support slavery and all that s**t."

He also joked about suicide when he said he wanted to make a Young Republican "unalive himself on the convention floor."

Giunta has called the leak "a highly-coordinated year-long character assassination." He added that the "logs were sourced by way of extortion and provided to Politico by the very same people conspiring against me."

He went on to apologize, but added that he is thinks the messages may have been doctored. "I am so sorry to those offended by the insensitive and inexcusable language found within the more than 28,000 messages of a private group chat that I created during my campaign to lead the Young Republicans," he said.

"While I take complete responsibility, I have had no way of verifying their accuracy and am deeply concerned that the message logs in question may have been deceptively doctored."

Joe Maligno

Maligno, who previously called himself the general counsel for the New York State Young Republicans, participated in the gas chamber joke, writing: "Can we fix the showers? Gas chambers don't fit the Hitler aesthetic."

He also used a slur against Asians, responding to Walker that his Italian ancestors "built the train tracks with the Chinese."

Maligno has not responded to Politico's request for comment. Newsweek contacted the New York State Young Republicans for comment via email.

Alex Dwyer

Dwyer, the chair of the Kansas Young Republicans, referenced the number "1488" when someone asked which hotel room they were in. 14/88 is classed as a white supremist hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League.

"14" is shorthand for "The Fourteen Words," a slogan that originated from the American terrorist David Eden Lane, and which has become a rallying cry for white nationalists internationally. The slogan reads: "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children."

Meanwhile, 88 stands for "Heil Hitler" as "h" is the eighth letter of the alphabet.

Dwyer declined Politico's requests for comment. Newsweek has contacted the Kansas Young Republicans for comment via email.

William Hendrix

Hendrix, the Kansas Young Republicans' vice chair, used the n-word and several variations of it more than a dozen times in the chat, according to Politico.

He also made a comment in July repeating racist stereotypes about Black people, saying: "Bro is at a chicken restaurant ordering his food. Would he like some watermelon and kool aid with that?"

Hendrix, who was a communications assistant for Kansas' Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach at the time, also used the homophobic slur "f****ts."

After Politico shared Hendrix's messages, Kobach's office said it was "aware of the issues raised in your article," and confirmed that Hendrix was "no longer employed."

Hendrix did not respond to Politico's requests for comment. Newsweek contacted the Kansas Young Republicans via email for comment.

Annie Kaykaty

Kaykaty, a national committee member for the New York State Young Republicans, also took part in the exchange about gas chambers. "I'm ready to watch people burn now," she said.

She declined to comment to Politico. Newsweek has contacted the New York State Young Republicans for comment by email.

Luke Mosiman

In June, Luke Mosiman, the chair of the Arizona Young Republicans, called for the rape of Hayden Padgett, the chair of the Young Republican National Federation, writing: "RAPE HAYDEN."

In July, Mosiman also mused that they could win support for a candidate by trying to link an opponent to white supremacist groups, but then joked that this could backfire.

Mosiman: "Can we get them to start releasing Nazi edits with her… Like pro Nazi and faciam [sic] propaganda."

Rachel Hope, Arizona Young Republicans events chair: "Omg I love this plan."

Mosiman: "The only problem is we will lose the Kansas delegation."

Mosiman declined to comment. Newsweek has contacted the Arizona Young Republicans for comment via email.

Samuel and Brianna Douglass

Vermont State Senator Samuel Douglass told the group that one of Padgett's Jewish colleagues may have made a procedural error related to the number of Maryland delegates allowed to attend the national convention.

His wife Brianna Douglass, a Vermont Young Republican's national committee member, replied: "I was about to say you're giving nationals to [sic] much credit and expecting the Jew to be honest."

Neither Samuel or Brianna Douglass responded to requests for comment. Newsweek contacted the Vermont Young Republicans for comment via its online contact form.

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Responses From Republicans

New York Senate minority leader Rob Ortt said in a statement: "I was shocked and disgusted to learn about the racist, anti-Semitic, and misogynistic comments attributed to members of the New York State Young Republicans. This behavior is indefensible and has no place in our party or anywhere in public life."

Alex deGrasse, a senior adviser for New York Representative Elise Stefanik, said that she was "was absolutely appalled to learn about the alleged comments made by leaders of the New York State Young Republicans and other state YRs in a large national group chat."

"According to the description provided by Politico, the comments were heinous, antisemitic, racist and unacceptable," he said. "If the description by Politico is accurate, Congresswoman Stefanik calls for any NY Young Republicans responsible for these horrific comments in this chat to step down immediately."

On Giunta, he added: "I, of course, have never seen this alleged chat room thread. If it is authentic, I would, of course, denounce any such comments in the strongest possible terms. This would surprise me as it is inconsistent with Peter that I know, although I only know him in his capacity as the head of the New York Young Republicans, where I thought he did a good job."

White House spokesperson Liz Huston rejected any link between Trump's rhetoric and the context of the chats, saying: "Only an activist, left-wing reporter would desperately try to tie President Trump into a story about a random group chat he has no affiliation with, while failing to mention the dangerous smears coming from Democrat politicians who have fantasized about murdering their opponent and called Republicans Nazis and Fascists. No one has been subjected to more vicious rhetoric and violence than President Trump and his supporters."