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EXCLUSIVE: NY Young Republicans in Hateful Group Chat were at Oberacker Congressional Launch

Bobby Walker Huddled with Senator, Peter Giunta Spoke with Campaign Consultant
Left photo: After State Senator Peter Oberacker (middle left) launched his congressional campaign, he huddled with Bobby Walker (far right), and campaign consultants Lynn Krogh (middle right) and Vince Casale (far left). Right photo: Vince Casale (left) speaks with Peter Giunta (right) before Oberacker’s campaign launch at the Schenevus fire station. (Photos by Eric Santomauro-Stenzel)

By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
SCHENEVUS

Two Young Republican leaders involved in a hate-filled online group chat were at State Senator Peter Oberacker’s congressional campaign launch on October 6 at the Schenevus fire station, eight days before Politico reported the messages on Tuesday. Bobby Walker, raised in Cooperstown, managed the small crowd and huddled with Oberacker and campaign consultants before and after the event. Another Republican operative in the group chat, Peter Giunta, was present and spoke with at least one Oberacker campaign consultant.

Politico’s investigation spanned thousands of private Telegram messages sent over more than seven months between leading Young Republicans across the country, prominently featuring New Yorkers including Walker and Giunta. The group chat reportedly had at least 251 appearances of epithets including “f----t,” “retarded” and “n--ga,” with multiple members making statements about violence toward their perceived political opponents.

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