Lawmaker resigns after involvement in racist chat

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Politico

10/17/2025 08:08 PM EDT


NEW YORK — The Vermont state senator involved in the hate-filled Young Republican group chat uncovered by POLITICO announced his resignation Friday.

Sam Douglass, a state lawmaker who represented an area near the Canadian border, said in a statement that “if my Governor asks me to do something, I will act, because I believe in what he’s trying to do,” referring to Vermont Republican Governor Phil Scott’s call for Douglass to step down.

Douglass was the only elected official in the group chat, though four others worked for elected officials at the time the messages were being sent. Those officials include New York’s state senate minority leader and the Kansas attorney general. One member of the chat worked in President Donald Trump’s Small Business Administration.

“I know that this decision will upset many, and delight others, but in this political climate I must keep my family safe,” Douglass said, adding that his resignation will be effective Monday at noon. “Since the story broke, I have reached out to the majority of my Jewish and BIPOC friends and colleagues to ensure that they can be honest and upfront with me, and I know that as a young person I have a duty to set a good example for others.” His lengthy statement also cites hateful messages he received from others in his state since the story broke.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/17/lawmaker-resigns-after-involvement-in-racist-chat-00614823

[DemMedic]

1. "I know that this decision will upset many, and delight others, but in this political climate I must keep my family safe

Yes, safe from the climate you helped create and your own actions.

[Irish_Dem]

2. MAGAs feel sorry for themselves, they live in the violent world they created.

The violence was supposed to only be against everyone they hated.
Anyone not a white male.

[OldBaldy1701E]

9. Yup. (n/t)

[yardwork]

7. His entire apology makes me cringe. Ick.

[MaineBlueBear]

3. "Keep my family safe"

What an a$$hole.

[OldBaldy1701E]

10. Keep his riches safe, he means. (n/t)

[muriel_volestrangler]

15. Yeah, using his "family" as a shield. No sign of children in his detailed Assembly bio

at https://legislature.vermont.gov/people/single/2026/40394 , though he is married - to another participant in the bigoted chats:

On October 14, 2025, Politico reported on racist and antisemitic statements made by Douglass and his wife Brianna in a text message group chat with fellow prominent members of Young Republicans groups in New York, Vermont, Arizona, and Kansas. Douglass was the only elected official in the group chat.[14] The group chat contained messages praising Nazis and rape and speaking of the government's alleged efforts to suppress documents related to Jeffrey Epstein's sex crimes.[15] In response to a member questioning whether a woman was Indian, Douglass wrote: "She just didn't bathe often." When Douglass described how a Jewish colleague may have made a procedural error about the number of Maryland delegates allowed at the national convention, Brianna replied: "I was about to say you're giving nationals to [sic] much credit and expecting the Jew to be honest."[15] Douglass did not respond to requests for comment about the incident from Politico.[15]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Douglass_%28politician%29#Young_Republican_Leaders_group_chat_leak

[Paladin]

4. Good riddance. (nt)

[Roxi]

5. He says he wants to continue

“I will continue to do what I have done my entire life, the very reasons why I was elected; I will help others in my community, be active, foster communication, and look out for others,” he said.

In other words, he plans to keep doing the same things, just quieter and without a paper trail. He has learned nothing from this.

[lonely bird]

6. Translation...

I’m gonna lay low. I’m gonna work to keep MAGAts moving forward toward their goal of destroying the country.

MAGAts gonna MAGAt.

[UpInArms]

8. They victimize themselves

It’s the “you started it when you hit me back” syndrome

[OldBaldy1701E]

11. Which is the basis for their entire claims of being 'persecuted for their beliefs'.

No, you are being 'persecuted' because you attacked others, and stand for bigotry and classism.

Your actions, not our reactions, did this.

[calimary]

12. GREAT one, UpInArms!

“You started it when you hit me back.”

TOTALLY!!!

And Totally BRILLIANT!!!

[ck4829]

25. They really do

[Botany]

13. "I know that as a young person I have a duty to set a good example for others."

And how many young persons that were his age now died fighting the Nazis who gassing and then
burning the Jews of Europe along with others. Something that Mr. Douglas found so amusing.

BTW he is 27. Which older than the average of a U.S. Soldier in WW II.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Douglass_(politician)

What a shit he is leaving his job because the Governor asked him to not because he talked
about “the showers” @ concentration camps so gleefully.

[dweller]

14. He'll crawl back under a rock

Re-emerge in the spring
😑



✌🏻

[Botany]

16. Don't forget that he will find Jesus and make a show of forgiveness to the people who were so mean to him.

After which he will get a job in some republican’s office or right wing think tank or a Fox News type of
media outlet. And millions of dollars will flow his way from the Republican billionaires or businesses
like the fossil fuel industries or the Heritage Foundation.

[republianmushroom]

17. Douglass with those fin republican values.

[live love laugh]

18. Prime candidate for the Trump regime now.

[dlk]

19. Republican groups have turned into "Psychopaths R Us"

They exhibit a very serious pathology.

[BaronChocula]

20. That's progress

There was a time in the 80s when a vile and bigoted VT state senator could refer to gays as "a bunch of disease-spreading cornholers" on the senate floor with impunity.

https://www.sevendaysvt.com/news/brave-little-vermont-leads-the-way-2431546/

[mdbl]

21. Dump will offer him a cabinet position

[electric_blue68]

22. If he was participating in the racist, and antisemitic comments, then What....

can he possibly say to his BIPOC & Jewish friends! 🙄

[Mark.b2]

23. What's in the well eventually comes up in the bucket...

Chats, texts, videos, transcripts, phone recordings, and the like sure have a wy of revealing the heart of a person.

[ck4829]

24. Kick