Michigan Democrats call for GOP response to leaked, slur-filled Young Republicans’ chat

BY KATHERINE DAILEY, MICHIGAN ADVANCE

MICHIGAN—In the wake of a report from POLITICO detailing a chat among leaders of Young Republicans’ chapters across the country, which included hundreds of uses of racial slurs and support for the use of gas chambers, slavery and rape, Michigan Democrats have called on the state’s Republican Party leadership to denounce the chat.

Some Michigan GOP members have responded, including Krish Mathrani, who is the Youth Chair of the Michigan Republican Party.

In a statement posted to X, Mathrani wrote, “I am deeply disturbed and outraged by the contents of the leaked Young Republicans group chat messages recently exposed by Politico. These messages—filled with racist epithets, antisemitic conspiracies, references to praise of Hitler, and dehumanizing language—are grotesque and must be denounced.”

He continued on to say that “There is no excuse or mitigation for this kind of rhetoric,” and called on Republicans and conservatives to condemn the chat publicly.

Others downplayed the messages. That included Meshawn Maddock, the former co-chair of the Michigan Republican Party and wife of state Rep. Matt Maddock (R-Milford), responded on X to messages criticizing her for not denouncing the chat with GIFs reading “Blah, blah, blah” and “I’m still bored.”

No member of Michigan’s Young Republicans chapter was named in the report as being a part of the group chat directly, but were referenced in the messages quoted by POLITICO.

Specifically, POLITICO reported that Alex Dwyer, the chair of the Kansas Young Republicans, told the chat that he had been told by the vice chair of Michigan’s chapter that “My delegates I bring will vote for the most right wing person.” Peter Giunta, the chair of the New York State Young Republicans at the time, responded to that message saying, “Great. I love Hitler.”

“These messages are absolutely reprehensible and have no place in Michigan or anywhere else. The fact that Michigan Young Republicans are linked to this report makes the silence from Michigan’s Republican leadership even more alarming,” wrote Michigan Democratic Party chair Curtis Hertel, who specifically called on U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers and Michigan gubernatorial hopeful John James to condemn the messages. “Every single leader has a moral obligation to condemn all forms of antisemitism, racism, and hatred – no exceptions and no qualifications.”

Neither the Michigan Republican Party nor the Michigan Young Republicans responded to requests for comment from the Michigan Advance, and neither group had posted to social media regarding the chat.

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This coverage was republished from Michigan Advance pursuant to a Creative Commons license.