MIAMI, Florida: A group chat started at South Florida University by an official with the Miami-Dade chapter of the Republican Party is now being investigated for racist slurs, antisemitic comments, and misogynistic language.
The chat involving students and several leading conservative figures at Florida International University was criticized by the state Republican Party. The Miami Herald reported on the chat after reviewing and confirming the messages.
In a statement this week, the university said campus police were investigating the students' behavior. The investigation is being carried out in collaboration with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.
FIU President Jeanette Nunez said the university does not tolerate violence, hate, discrimination, harassment, racism, or antisemitism. She said such behavior does not represent the values of the university.
The Republican Party of Florida also released a statement saying it had started an internal review of the situation. The party strongly condemned the offensive comments, saying they ran counter to the organization's values.
Last fall, the Republican State Committee in New York suspended a Young Republican group after a group chat surfaced that included jokes about rape and casual remarks about gas chambers.
On March 6, a representative of the Republican Jewish Coalition said the group supports the Florida GOP's condemnation of the chat. Spokesman Sam Markstein said antisemitism and prejudice have no place in the Republican Party.
