"'I love Hitler': Leaked messages expose Young Republicans’ racist chat/Thousands of private messages reveal young GOP leaders joking about gas chambers, slavery and rape."

Politico reports.

William Hendrix, the Kansas Young Republicans’ vice chair, used the words “n--ga” and “n--guh,” variations of a racial slur, more than a dozen times in the chat. Bobby Walker, the vice chair of the New York State Young Republicans at the time, referred to rape as “epic.” Peter Giunta, who at the time was chair of the same organization, wrote in a message sent in June that “everyone that votes no is going to the gas chamber.”

Giunta was referring to an upcoming vote on whether he should become chair of the Young Republican National Federation, the GOP’s 15,000-member political organization for Republicans between 18 and 40 years old. “Im going to create some of the greatest physiological torture methods known to man. We only want true believers,” he continued....

Read the whole thing. Politico takes the position "The chat offers an unfiltered look at how a new generation of GOP activists talk when they think no one is listening."

ADDED: I asked Grok, "Is the Politico report accurate or should we be suspicious? Many people think Politico is slanted." What follows is Grok's answer:

Assessing the Accuracy of Politico's Young Republicans ReportYes, the Politico report appears accurate based on a review of corroborating sources, statements from involved parties, and the swift, tangible consequences that followed its October 14, 2025, publication. While suspicions about Politico's left-leaning slant are fair—it's often criticized for a pro-Democratic tilt in coverage of Trump-era GOP issues—the story here draws from primary evidence (2,900 pages of leaked Telegram messages) and has been substantiated across the political spectrum, including by Republican leaders and the Young Republican National Federation (YRNF) itself. No major fact-checks have debunked it, and claims of fabrication lack evidence. Below, I'll break it down step by step, addressing the bias concern head-on.1. Core Elements of the Report and VerificationPolitico's exposé details over 28,000 messages in the "RESTOREYR WAR ROOM" Telegram chat (January–August 2025) among ~20 Young Republican leaders from New York, Kansas, Arizona, and Vermont. Key claims:

• Racist, antisemitic, and violent rhetoric: Slurs (N-word >12 times by one user; "f**t," "beaner," "chk" totaling 251+ instances); Hitler praise ("I love Hitler "); gas chamber "jokes" ("everyone that votes no is going to the gas chamber"); slavery endorsements; rape as "epic."
• Context: Blended with political plotting (e.g., pro-Trump YRNF takeover bids, Epstein file conspiracies).
• Sourcing: Leaked by a "right-wing individual" amid internal rivalries (e.g., NYSYR vs. NYC Young Republicans).

These align with independent reports:

• The Independent (UK outlet, centrist-leaning) quotes the same messages and notes participants' apologies without disputing authenticity. 
• Kansas Reflector and KCUR (local KS outlets) confirm Kansas chapter leaders' involvement and the group's disbandment post-leak. 
• The Hill and Axios (both center-right) report the YRNF's condemnation and resignation demands, treating the logs as verified. 
• No outlets (left or right) have challenged the raw content; even conservative X users acknowledge the chats' existence, focusing instead on internal GOP drama. 

Fact-check searches yielded no Snopes/WaPo-style debunkings—likely because the story is <24 hours old, but the pattern of rapid cross-verification (e.g., via participant statements) holds.2. Responses from Involved Parties: Admissions Over DenialsThe strongest evidence of accuracy is how chat members reacted—not with blanket rejections, but partial apologies that concede the content while questioning acquisition or edits:

• Peter Giunta (NYSYR ex-chair, chat creator): "I take complete responsibility [but] have had no way of verifying their accuracy and am deeply concerned that the message logs... may have been deceptively doctored." He blames "extortion" by rivals like Gavin Wax (NYC Young Republicans). 
• Bobby Walker (NYSYR ex-vice chair): "There is no excuse for the language... I sincerely apologize," but adds portions "may have been altered, taken out of context, or otherwise manipulated." 
• YRNF Board (national body): "We are appalled by the vile and inexcusable language revealed in the Politico article... Those involved must immediately resign." 

Michael Bartels (Trump admin adviser in chat) filed an affidavit on extortion but didn't deny the messages. This pattern—owning the tone while hinting at foul play—suggests the logs are real, leaked via GOP infighting, not fabricated.3. Immediate Fallout: Actions Speak Louder Than WordsIf the report were inaccurate, we'd expect lawsuits, forensic audits, or GOP-wide pushback. Instead:

Consequence	Details
Job Losses	William Hendrix (KS) fired from AG Kris Kobach's office; Peter Giunta ousted from NY Assemblyman Mike Reilly's staff; Bobby Walker lost congressional job offer; Joe Maligno quit NY court system role.
Group Shutdowns	Kansas Young Republicans disbanded entirely; YRNF demands all resignations.
GOP Condemnations	Rep. Elise Stefanik: "Absolutely appalled"; NY GOP Chair Ed Cox: "Shocked and disgusted"; Roger Stone (Trump ally): Denounced despite ties; VT Gov. Phil Scott: Called for senator's resignation.
Dem Reactions	Chuck Schumer: "Revolting"; Kathy Hochul: Demanded GOP "kick them out."

These aren't reactions to a "hoax"—they're damage control for verified ugliness.4. Politico's Slant: Valid Concern, But Not a Disqualifier HereYou're right—Politico has a documented left-center bias (AllSides rates it "Lean Left"; Ad Fontes Media scores it -4.5 on a -42 to +42 reliability scale, noting occasional sensationalism in GOP scandals). Critics like 

@TxJollyRoger

 on X call it a "known Democrat paper" prone to "wrap-up smears." Past examples (e.g., aggressive Trump coverage) fuel distrust. Some X users speculate selective quoting or internal smears without full logs. 
That said, bias doesn't equal inaccuracy. Politico's reporting is Pulitzer-caliber on scoops like this (they've broken similar leaks, e.g., 2020 GOP texts). Here, the story's strength is its evidence-based core: They reviewed the full logs, sought comments from all sides (including rivals like Wax), and included apologies/denials verbatim. Outlets like CBS News and Hindustan Times republished without caveats. X consensus leans toward "real but messy" (e.g., "messages were leaked and are legitimate... confirmed by Young Republicans"). 5. Reasons for Lingering Suspicion (and Why They're Limited)

• No Full Public Logs: Critics can't independently verify every quote, raising "cherry-picking" fears. Fair, but participants' admissions and fallout mitigate this.
• Timing/Internal Feud: Leaked amid YRNF election wars—Giunta lost narrowly—suggests a "hit job." Yet, even rivals haven't called it fake; it's treated as intra-GOP mudslinging.
• No Forensic Proof: No edits proven, despite claims. If doctored, expect lawsuits soon.

In sum, be vigilant about slant, but don't dismiss this as "fake news"—the evidence pyramid (logs + admissions + actions) is too solid. It exposes real rot in GOP youth ranks, amplified by (but not invented by) Politico. For balance, cross-check with The Hill or local KS/VT reports. If new details emerge (e.g., full logs or audits), it'll clarify further.