J.D. Vance dismisses racist texts sent by adults in GOP group chat by saying ‘what kids do’ | J.D. Vance
J.D. Vance sought to downplay revelations that leaders of a group called Young Republicans exchanged hundreds of racist and sexist text messages — including one in which he called rape an “epic,” and another in which someone wrote “I love Hitler” — as youthful indiscretions.
Vance, speaking New episode The Charlie Kirk Show, the podcast run by colleagues of the late conservative activist, suggested that participants in the leaked chats were much younger than they actually are. Some of the participants are barely younger than the 41-year-old vice president.
“The reality is that kids do stupid things, especially little boys,” Vance said. “They make offensive, offensive jokes. That’s what kids do. And I really don’t want us to grow up in a country where a kid telling a stupid joke — telling a stupid joke that’s very offensive — is going to ruin their life.”
POLITICO Get access to months of exchanges From a telegraphic conversation between leaders and members of the National Federation of Young Republicans and some of its affiliates in New York, Kansas, Arizona, and Vermont.
Mother Jones reports Public records show that eight of the 11 Republican activists who participated in the offensive chat appear to be between 24 and 35 years old.
This revelation sparked bipartisan calls for those involved to be removed from their positions or resign from their positions.
The National Youth Republican Federation, the Republican Party’s political organization for Republicans ages 18 to 40, called on participants to step down from the organization. The group called the correspondence “unbecoming of any Republican.”
However, Vance chided Democrats and the media for paying too much attention to “what a group of young people, a group of kids, says in a group chat, no matter how offensive.”
He noted that the racist texts from Republicans were a distraction from offensive texts sent by Democratic candidate for Virginia Attorney General, Jay Jones, who joked that he would rather kill a fellow Republican than kill Hitler or Pol Pot.
Jones has since said he takes “full responsibility” for his comments and issued a public apology to Todd Gilbert, who was then Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates.
Vance expressed alarm at people who he said allowed themselves to be distracted from Democrats’ “astonishing endorsement of political violence… by focusing on what kids are saying in a group chat.”
“Grow up,” the vice president told those people more interested in racism in his own party than joking about violence in the other party. “I’m sorry, focus on the real issues, don’t focus on what kids say in group chats.”
Vance said he grew up in a different era where “most of what I did, the stupid things I did as a teenager and young adult, wasn’t on the Internet.”
The father of three said he would warn his children, “Especially my kids, don’t put things on the internet, like, be careful what you post. If you put something in a group chat, assume some bugger will leak it in an attempt to try to hurt you or cause harm to your family.”
“I really don’t want us to grow up in a country where a kid who tells a stupid joke, or tells a very offensive joke, is going to ruin their life,” Vance said.
Other Republicans called for more immediate intervention. Vermont’s Republican legislative leaders, along with Governor Phil Scott – also a Republican – called for the resignation of Sam Douglas, the state senator who was revealed to have participated in the chat.
Saying she was “deeply appalled to learn of the alleged comments made by young Republican leaders in New York State,” Congresswoman Elise Stefanik of New York called on those involved to step down. Deandre Herbert, chairman of the Kansas Republican Party, said the statements “do not reflect the beliefs of Republicans and certainly do not reflect the beliefs of Republicans in Kansas in general.”
Democrats have been more consistent in their condemnation. California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday wrote to James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, requesting an investigation into the “vile and offensive text messages,” which he described as “defining conduct that could create a hostile and discriminatory environment that violates civil rights laws.”
Speaking on the Senate floor, Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York on Tuesday called the conversation “disgusting” and called on Republicans including Trump and Vance to “quickly and unequivocally condemn these comments.”
Asked about the reports, New York Governor Kathy Hochul called the exchanges “despicable” and called for consequences for those involved.
“Kick them out of the party. Take away their official roles. Stop using them as campaign advisors,” Hochul said. “There must be consequences. This nonsense must stop.”