NY Young Republicans Caught in Racist Telegram Chat Scandal

When a racist chat scandal erupted among New York’s Young Republicans, the fallout hit the state’s political establishment faster than a New York minute. Peter Giunta, former chief of staff to Mike Reilly and erstwhile president of the New York State Young Republicans Club, found himself at the centre of a 2,900‑page Telegram dump that lawmakers and media outlets called ‘shocking’ and ‘inexcusable.’

Background of the Young Republicans in New York

The New York State Young Republicans Club, headquartered in Albany, serves as the training ground for GOP activists aged 18‑40. In recent years the club has tried to rebrand itself as a modern, inclusive movement, but internal documents reveal a parallel culture of private messaging that remained hidden from public view. The club’s national counterpart, the Young Republican National Federation, oversees more than 300 state‑level chapters and runs a biennial election for its chairperson.

Details of the Telegram Leak

Politico’s investigative team obtained a trove of messages from a Telegram group that was active from January 1, 2025 through mid‑August 2025. The service’s cloud‑based storage allowed the journalists to download the entire archive—roughly 2,900 pages of chat logs—without breaking encryption. The content ranged from crude jokes about gas chambers to explicit praise for Adolf Hitler, peppered throughout with the N‑word, slurs aimed at LGBTQ+ people, and anti‑Semitic epithets.

Key excerpts include Giunta’s comment, “everyone that votes no is going to the gas chamber,” followed by a reply from Joe Maligno that read, “Gas chambers don’t fit the Hitler aesthetic.” Another participant, Annie Kaykaty, added, “I’m ready to watch people burn now….”

These messages were posted while Giunta simultaneously held the dual roles of chief of staff to Assemblyman Reilly and chair of the state Young Republicans, creating a direct line between the leaker’s official duties and the extremist rhetoric.

Reactions from Republican Leaders

On October 14, 2025, Assemblyman Mike Reilly announced that Giunta’s employment had been terminated. The statement was brief: “Effective immediately, Peter Giunta is no longer employed as my chief of staff.”

High‑profile figures quickly condemned the chat. U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik called for the immediate resignation of anyone involved. Representative Mike Lawler echoed the sentiment, saying the language was “unacceptable for any public servant.” State Senator Robert Ortt demanded a full overhaul of the Young Republicans’ vetting process.

WNYC’s state‑politics reporter Jason Beaerman reported that several participants had already been forced out of staff positions, noting the scandal “shows how the next generation of Republican leaders are speaking when they think no one is watching.”

Impact on the 2025 Elections

The timing of the leak—just weeks before the November 2025 general election—has put New York GOP candidates on the defensive. In the 21st Congressional District, where Rep. Stefanik runs for re‑election, campaign aides have been instructed to distance themselves from the youth wing. Likewise, the 62nd Assembly District, represented by Reilly, is seeing heightened scrutiny from both the press and opposing campaigns.

Polling data released by Stanford‑Rosen after the story broke showed a 4‑point dip in favorability for Republican incumbents in the state, with independent voters citing “concerns about extremist rhetoric” as a top reason for shifting support.

What Comes Next?

The Young Republican National Federation announced an internal review on October 16, 2025, pledging to “reassess leadership vetting, enforce stricter codes of conduct, and provide mandatory sensitivity training.” The federation’s chair, Laura Bennett (not a primary entity for markup), said the organization would also cooperate fully with any law‑enforcement inquiry, even though no criminal charges have been announced.

Meanwhile, both Politico and WNYC are continuing to verify the authenticity of every message. Giunta has issued a public apology, describing his language as “insensitive and inexcusable,” while also claiming he “cannot verify the accuracy of all the messages.”

Historical Context of Party Scandals

New York’s GOP has weathered several controversies over the past decade—from the 2018 “Me Too” allegations against former governor Andrew Cuomo’s allies to the 2022 “cash-for‑vote” scheme uncovered in Queens. Each episode prompted a wave of reforms that were later rolled back or diluted. The current scandal differs in that it implicates a younger, ostensibly more tech‑savvy cohort whose private communications are now instantly searchable.

Political scientists warn that repeated scandals can erode party brand equity, especially among suburban swing voters who comprise a growing share of New York’s electorate. The Republican Party’s ability to navigate this crisis may shape its prospects not only in the upcoming state elections but also in the 2026 congressional races.

• 2,900 pages of Telegram messages released
• Key figures: Peter Giunda, Joe Maligno, Annie Kaykaty
• Immediate resignations: Giunda (chief of staff), several staffers
• Calls for resignations from Elise Stefanik, Mike Lawler, Robert Ortt
• Young Republican National Federation to launch internal review