Vermont Republican lawmaker resigns over racist and antisemitic group chat | Vermont
A Vermont state lawmaker resigned over racist and anti-Semitic chat messages circulating within the Young Republican political group; This was another major consequence of the scandal that saw the charter of the New York State Young Republicans rescinded on Friday.
State senator Samuel Douglass, the only elected official known to have participated in the leaked group chat exposed by Politico, resigned Friday over his involvement.
One expression Posting online, Douglass, 26, said he was “deeply sorry for the offense” his comments caused. He added that his decision to resign, effective Monday, “will upset many and delight others, but I have to keep my family safe in this political climate.”
Douglass had been under pressure from Vermont governor Phil Scott and state Senate minority leader Scott Beck to step aside since Politico obtained and published the conversations online.
In one interview, Douglass responded to a message about a “very obese Indian woman” by saying: “She just didn’t bathe often.” In another, Douglass was said to have described how a Jew might have made a procedural error. His wife, Brianna Douglass, also responded to the chat with an anti-Semitic remark: Policy reported.
Other messages in the chat reflected factional infighting among the Young Republicans, including members from Minnesota being called a slur for gay men and other LGBTQ+ people, members from Nebraska being called “inbred cow fuckers” and members from Rhode Island being called “treasonous pussies.” According to Politico, there were comments and jokes about gas chambers, torture and rape, as well as references to a “fat, smelly Jew.”
In his resignation statement, Douglass said the comment was “an unflattering remark about a specific individual, certainly not a generalization” and said he hoped to “mend the bridges to the best of my ability.”
The statement also said he and his wife, who recently welcomed their first child, had received “some of the most horrific hatred imaginable,” including threats of violence.
Political violence has become a dominant issue in the United States, in part because of the Sept. 10 killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and the June 14 shootings that killed former Minnesota House speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and injured state Sen. John Hoffman — a fellow Democrat — and his wife, Yvette.
Douglass also said he “reached out to the majority of my Jewish and BIPOC people.” [Black, Indigenous and people of color] My friends and colleagues will ensure that they can be honest and frank with me.”
Douglass and his wife had previously resigned from their positions with the Vermont Young Republicans.
After Politico’s reporting on the Telegram chat on Tuesday, Governor Scott said there was “no excuse” for the “vile, racist, bigoted and anti-Semitic dialogue.”
He added that “those involved in this should immediately resign their offices and leave the Republican party, including Vermont state senator Sam Douglass.”
J.D. Vance disparaged these conversations as “edgy” and “offensive jokes” told by “kids”, despite the fact that most members of the group were between the ages of 24 and 35. Vance pointed to leaked messages sent by Democrat Jay Jones, who is running for attorney general in Virginia, suggesting that a political opponent deserved “two bullets in the head.”
“I really don’t want us to grow up in a country where a kid telling a stupid joke – telling a very offensive, stupid joke – ends up ruining their lives,” Vance said in September, after demanding punishment for those who made comments he found offensive about Kirk’s death.
On Saturday, Beck said Douglass’ resignation marked the end of a “tough week” in Vermont.
“Senator Douglass’ resignation is the first step in healing for Vermont and his family.” Beck told the Washington Post
