Storm in the Republican Club: Antisemitic account and photo in Nazi uniform

For young conservatives looking to integrate into the political elite of the United States, membership in the New York Young Republican Club was until recently considered a prestigious entry ticket and a mandatory stop on the way to a promising career. The city club, which has nearly 2,000 members, boasts in its ranks current elected officials like Elise Stefanik and alumni like former President Richard Nixon and the tycoon governor Nelson Rockefeller. Just last year, the club hosted President Donald Trump as the keynote speaker at its annual gala event.

However, the influential organization now finds itself under a magnifying glass following evidence of antisemitism and racism among its leadership. At the center of the allegations is Nicholas Rafael Jr., who until recently served as the club's treasurer. An investigation by New York magazine reveals that he managed a fictitious X account filled with hatred for Jews, alongside the publication of a photograph in which he is seen dressed in German military uniform and giving a Nazi salute.

On May 19, for example, it was written in the account that "it is simply a historical fact that our society will thrive when you throw the Jews out of the city." The user showed an affinity for expressions typical of far-right trolls on the web such as "shut up, you Jew" and dismissed anyone who did not agree with him as a "fake account run by Jews." In addition, he reshared pictures of Hitler and antisemitic caricatures of Jews. In one of the posts, Republican Senator from Texas Ted Cruz was attacked and accused of being a "goy slave of Israel first." The account also included many posts that contained slurs against homosexuals and blacks and made sure to warn its followers against "Muslim gang rapes."

Rafael for his part denied that the account belonged to him and claimed that the picture in which he is seen with Nazi symbols is "clearly fabricated." Attorney Mark Lucarelli, who represents the club, denied any connection between the organization and the account in question, but confirmed that the club is investigating the photograph and that Rafael has been "placed on leave." As of the writing of these lines, the account has been removed from the air.

The events are taking place against the backdrop of a cloud that is already hovering over the young Republican Party in New York. Last October, a Telegram group was discovered that included young conservatives from across the country and leaders in the New York State Young Republican Club — an organization separate from the city club. The group, which contained nearly 3,000 pages of messages, was saturated with jokes that celebrated the Holocaust and expressed support for Hitler. Consequently, party leaders closed the state organization.

At the same time, the city club began to adopt, under club president Stefano Forte, positions more identified with the "America First" agenda of Trump and his vice president J.D. Vance. Testimonies from former members describe a generally hostile atmosphere within the club, especially towards Jewish members. A former board member said that Forte, who previously ran for a seat in the state legislature, cultivated an atmosphere in the club that allowed members to freely express antisemitic views in the spirit of their admired podcaster Nick Fuentes. Another former leadership member testified that the club became under Forte a kind of "den of lonely men who believe that their racist and misogynistic politics enjoy support," and added that Forte "does not live in the real world and he thinks that Nazi politics is effective in New York City." The things received tangible expression when, during Forte's tenure, the mezuzah that was fixed at the entrance to the organization's club in Manhattan suddenly disappeared from its place, and many Jewish board members left.

The latest discoveries are causing great unease among key donors to the club. Joshua Eisen, an investment manager from New York and a former Republican candidate for the Senate, clarified regarding the allegations against Rafael that "clearly the language and images are antisemitic, there is no reason to believe this is satire." He announced that he would re-examine all his contributions to the club. Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, added that "this is another expression of how antisemitism is penetrating the public discourse and certain young Republican circles."