South Florida university probes racist group chat tied to a local GOP official

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MIAMI (AP) — A South Florida university has launched an investigation into a group chat started by an official with the Miami-Dade chapter of the Republican Party that included violently racist slurs, antisemitic comments and misogynistic language.

The chat, which was denounced by the state GOP, involved students and several top conservative leaders at Florida International University, according to the Miami Herald, which viewed and independently verified the conversations.

The university said in a statement on Thursday that the conduct of the students was being investigated by the campus police in coordination with local, state and federal law enforcement.

“FIU does not and will not tolerate violence, hate, discrimination, harassment, racism or antisemitism,” said FIU President Jeanette Nunez, a former Florida lieutenant governor and GOP state lawmaker. “This is not who we are. This is not what FIU stands for.”

The Republican Party of Florida said in a statement that it was undertaking “an internal review of this situation” and condemned “the repugnant comments,” saying that they were “completely contrary" to what the organization represents.

Last fall, New York’s Republican State Committee suspended a Young Republican organization following the release of a group chat that included jokes about rape and flippant commentary on gas chambers.

An official with the Republican Jewish Coalition on Friday said that it echoed the condemnation of the chat by Florida GOP officials.

“Antisemitism and bigotry have no place in the Republican Party,” said Sam Markstein, a spokesman for the Jewish GOP group.