Nevada Republican Congressional Candidate Operates Racist Online Forum

Marty O'Donnell, a Republican congressional candidate from Nevada, has been found to operate an online forum that is riddled with racist and hateful content.

The forum, which was previously used as a gathering place for fans of O'Donnell's work on the popular "Halo video game franchise, features thousands of posts containing racial slurs and minimizations of Nazi Germany. The Nevada Republican has attempted to leverage this online community in his bid for Congress, using its members as a source of campaign funding and enthusiasm.

O'Donnell has referred to himself as the benevolent dictator of the forum, which is known as The Marty Army. He has hosted events for the group's members, including a recent two-day gathering at a Las Vegas casino that featured a video game tournament and panel discussions. The campaign also utilized the event as an opportunity to harness the energy and support of the forum's users.

An investigation by the Associated Press into the online forum revealed that it is plagued by racist and hateful posts, with some members openly advocating for white nationalist conspiracy theories. This raises serious questions about O'Donnell's leadership style and his ability to effectively represent his constituents in Congress.

The AP review found that racial slurs and minimizations of Nazi Germany were common on the forum, and that many users defended white nationalist ideology. One former member of the group described the sentiment among its users as hateful and said that O'Donnell banned him for calling another user a derogatory term.

The online forum controlled by Nevada GOP House candidate Daniel O'Donnell has been found to contain slurs and Nazi talk after an AP review. This raises questions about the consistency of O'Donnell's values, particularly those related to Israel and bigotry. Despite articulating a strong defense of Israel and condemnation of bigotry in public statements, some users on his forum have expressed views that are at odds with these positions.

O'Donnell's campaign has responded to allegations of hate speech on the forum by stating that he has zero tolerance for such content. However, it appears that not all instances of racist or antisemitic language were caught and removed. According to a statement from his campaign spokesman Keith Schipper, nearly 200 users have been banned due to hateful rhetoric.

Schipper's statement emphasized O'Donnell's commitment to fighting bigotry and misinformation, particularly when it comes to Israel. The candidate has publicly expressed support for the country and condemned antisemitism in interviews and online posts. His campaign claims that these values are genuine, but the existence of hate speech on his forum raises doubts about the sincerity of this stance.

O'Donnell is running against four-term Rep. Susie Lee in the upcoming November 3 election. Republicans are facing a tough environment in this election cycle, and O'Donnell's candidacy has been seen as a key test for their chances of holding onto their razor-thin majority. In recent weeks, the party has pulled back spending on several congressional races, including O'Donnell's.

O'Donnell's endorsement by President Donald Trump adds to his profile in this election cycle. However, the controversy surrounding his forum and its content may prove a liability for his campaign as voters begin to scrutinize his values more closely.

The online forum controlled by Nevada GOP House candidate O'Donnell has been found to contain a plethora of slurs and Nazi talk in a review conducted by AP.

While most comments on the chat group revolve around video games and gaming strategies, there is also a section dedicated to discussing O'Donnell's work on Halo games. However, it seems that even these innocuous discussions can sometimes devolve into something more sinister.

In some cases, users would respond to otherwise harmless comments with overtly racist remarks, often using coded language or emoji letters to avoid triggering moderation filters. For instance, in May 2022, a member posted WE STAND WITH MARTY, and others followed up with emoji letters that spelled out an anti-Black slur.

The platform's design appears to prevent users from repeating the same emoji more than once in response to a post, likely intended to curb racist language. However, this restriction did not seem to deter some users who found creative ways to express their sentiments without using explicit words.

During a discussion on free speech in January 2025, one forum member expressed a desire to use a racial slur but chose not to do so, citing concerns that it would draw unwanted attention from moderators.

The online forum controlled by Nevada GOP House candidate has a history dating back to 2001 when it was created as an inside joke for fans of the video game Halo". Initially called "Marty's Army, its name was meant to evoke the spirit of a club for enthusiasts of the glam rock band Kiss.

The forum's developers relocated it to Discord, a popular online platform, and O'Donnell assumed control of the group. His website contains a link to the chat room, which he has also promoted on social media.

A review of an online forum has uncovered disturbing content, including references to fascist leaders and hate speech.

Posts on the forum have expressed admiration for current and historical figures associated with fascist ideologies, raising concerns about the spread of extremist views.

One member's comment in February included a reference to Heil Hitler, while others have praised prominent fascists. The content has sparked alarm about the potential influence of such rhetoric online.

O'Donnell's campaign has been scrutinized for its handling of his past actions and associations, including a photo of himself wearing a mask resembling Benito Mussolini, the Italian dictator and key ally of Adolf Hitler.

The campaign has denied that O'Donnell dressed up as Mussolini, instead attributing the resemblance to a Halloween costume from nearly two decades ago.

A review of online forum postings associated with Nevada House candidate has uncovered disturbing content, including slurs and Nazi talk.

The forum, which appears to be controlled by O'Donnell's campaign team, contains posts that are considered coded antisemitic hate speech by some experts. Users have responded to warnings about antisemitism with emojis and derogatory terms, such as the use of a exaggerated nose emoji and the term goy, which has been co-opted by those who espouse antisemitic views.

Experts say these comments are not subtle or coded, but rather explicit examples of hate speech. For instance, one post simply read Heil Hitler." Some members of O'Donnell's online community have even acknowledged the potential liability posed by this content, with one user commenting on the possibility that a vulnerability study could reveal the forum's existence and put O'Donnell's political career at risk.