New York disbands its chapter of Young Republicans over fiery group chat

The New York state Republican Committee on Friday voted to disband the state chapter of the Young Republicans group after hateful messages in a Young Republican chat went viral.

The chat, which allegedly included comments from New York Assemblyman Michael O’Reilly's chief of staff and a state senator from Vermont, featured inappropriate and hateful messages, according to The Hill. 

O'Reilly's chief of staff allegedly said he "love[s] Hitler." Other messages claimed certain people should go to "gas chambers," referring to one of the methods the Nazis used to eliminate Jewish people in World War II.

New York GOP Chair Ed Cox slammed the group chat in a statement after the vote.

“The Young Republicans was already grossly mismanaged," Cox said. "Vile language of the sort made in the group chat has no place in our party or its subsidiary organizations.”

National Republican leaders have condemned the messages, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, but Vice President JD Vance claimed the group chat was filled with "kids" who should not have their career ruined for making jokes.

“We’re not canceling kids because they do something stupid in a group chat,” Vance said. “The reality is that kids do stupid things. Especially young boys, they tell edgy, offensive jokes. Like, that’s what kids do. I really don’t want us to grow up in a country where a kid telling a stupid joke — telling a very offensive, stupid joke — is cause to ruin their lives.”

The Telegram group chat also featured Young Republican leaders from Kansas and Arizona.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.