Texting scandal

Congressional Black Caucus PAC uses Young Republicans’ texting scandal to hit Lawler

The PAC is rolling out a five-figure ad campaign citing POLITICO’s report of the Young Republicans’ group chat.

Cheyanne M. Daniels

The Congressional Black Caucus PAC is trying to link Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) to Peter Giunta, a member of the New York Young Republicans who POLITICO reported sent racist messages to other Young Republican members in a group chat.

The five-figure digital ad, titled “Not for US,” will air on YouTube and connected television in the district. It also references Lawler’s use of blackface when in college for a Halloween costume he said was an homage to pop star Michael Jackson.

“Mike Lawler keeps showing us exactly who he is — between now and Election Day we’re going to make sure Hudson Valley voters know he’s not fit for Congress,” a spokesperson for the CBCPAC said in a statement.

In a statement, Lawler’s communications director and senior adviser Ciro Riccardi said the ad is “flat-out dishonest.”

He continued, “the Congressional Black Caucus should be ashamed of putting out this malicious, racially-charged attack ad that is clearly meant to inflame and divide. Congressman Lawler was among the first elected officials to condemn the individuals involved and call for anyone named, or yet to be named, to resign from any party leadership roles and lose their jobs. The CBC should be applauding Congressman Lawler, rather than trying to smear him.”

Democrats have tried to connect Lawler to Giunta since POLITICO’s report unveiled racist, homophobic and antisemitic messages sent between Young Republican members in a group chat.

Giunta previously claimed the release of the chat is part of “a highly-coordinated year-long character assassination,” while also apologizing, saying “I am so sorry to those offended by the insensitive and inexcusable language found within the more than 28,000 messages of a private group chat that I created during my campaign to lead the Young Republicans.”

Lawler is one of the most endangered Republican incumbents heading into the midterms. The Democratic-aligned House Majority PAC shared photos of Giunta and Bobby Walker, another member in the chat, with Lawler at local GOP events, while some of his Democratic challengers also posted photos between the New York Republicans.

Lawler previously condemned the leaked messages as “deeply offensive,” hateful” and “disgusting.”

Those who engaged, he added “should resign from any leadership position immediately and reflect on how far they have strayed from basic human respect and decency.”