GOSHEN, N.Y. — Zak Constantine, Chair of the Orange County Democratic Committee, released the following statement in response to a Politico investigation revealing a violent private chat among New York Young Republican leaders that included racist, antisemitic, misogynistic, and homophobic content, as well as praise for the Orange County Teen Republicans’ disturbing “support [for] slavery.”

“This isn’t just a national scandal, it’s a disturbing revelation about the values behind local Republican campaigns and the rhetoric they’ve irresponsibly implanted among Republican teenagers. The same leaders glamorized in Orange County GOP circles for being the ‘next generation’ are revealed to be cheering rape, praising Hitler and joking about gas chambers. Our local Teen Republicans were lauded by this group for supporting slavery. If Orange County Republican leaders won’t sever ties, disclose involvement, and bar the subjects of this scandal from their operations, then they are normalizing it. If New York State Republicans won’t take a stand, they are endorsing it.

Leadership is about who you platform, and who you place in front of voters. Orange County families deserve to know that the people knocking their doors and managing their local campaigns are not celebrating slavery or swapping violent fantasies. Parents also need to know their Republican teens are not being radicalized by darkly extremist adults.

This goes beyond partisan politics—it’s about the basic character of those seeking power in our communities. For too long, local Republican leaders have looked the other way as extremism festered within their own ranks. It’s time for them to draw a clear line, take responsibility, and prove that there’s no place for hate in Orange County.”

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“This bullshit has to stop!” Kathy Hochul Blasts Republicans’ Nazi Chat Threads

The Hill: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) weighed in Wednesday on controversial remarks made by young Republicans in a Telegram group chat tied to the Young Republican National Federation, a 15,000-member political group for GOP voters between the ages of 18 and 40 years old.

“This is not one person saying they love Hitler. This is a whole lot of people saying things that are so disgusting and so abhorrent that everybody from the president on down should condemn them. And there’s got to be consequences,” Hochul said during a press conference…read the rest