A first-term Republican state senator from Orleans County is facing pressure from members of his own party to resign after a story published by Politico Tuesday detailed his involvement in a racist text chat between members of Young Republican chapters in four states, including Vermont.
Samuel Douglass, 27, was part of a historic red wave last November that saw the GOP pick up six seats in the Vermont Senate and reconfigure the balance of power in the Legislature.
Last week, Douglass was one of six Republican lawmakers nominated for “Legislator of the Year” at the Vermont GOP’s Awards Night in South Burlington.
On Tuesday evening, Republican Gov. Phil Scott called on Douglass to resign after a leaked group chat showed Douglass and his wife using racist and antisemitic language with fellow young Republicans from across the country.
“The Vermont GOP must address and reject the largely covert network of hatred that binds them to racist and white nationalist elements nationwide.”Senate President Pro Tem Phil Baruth
“The hateful statements made in this group chat are disgusting and unacceptable,” Scott said in a written statement Tuesday. “The vile, racist, bigoted, and antisemitic dialogue that has been reported is deeply disturbing. There is simply no excuse for it. Those involved should resign from their roles immediately and leave the Republican party – including Vermont State Senator Sam Douglass.”
That group chat included a message from Douglass mocking the bathing habits of people from India, and an exchange in which Douglass’ wife, Brianna, wrote of “expecting the Jew to be honest.”
Those revelations have cost Douglass the faith and support of top Republican leaders in the Vermont Statehouse. House Republican Leader Pattie McCoy and Senate Republican Leader Scott Beck, along with their deputies, also called on Douglass to resign Tuesday.
“Sen. Sam Douglass’ statements as reported by Politico are unacceptable and deeply disturbing. They cannot be excused and are inconsistent with Vermont values and what Vermont Republicans stand for,” they said in a joint statement. “It is time for Sen. Douglass to step away from his position as a Vermont Senator and resign.”
Douglass did not respond to an interview request Tuesday afternoon.
The group chat, which involved leaders from Young Republican chapters in New York, Kansas, Arizona and Vermont, contained hundreds of racist slurs in correspondences sent on the messaging app Telegram.
Senate President Pro Tem Phil Baruth, who has also called on Douglass to resign, said the Politico story reveals the spread of “Trumpism” within the Vermont Republican Party.
“It’s also critical to note that a single resignation will not eliminate the disturbing rhetoric permeating this country,” Baruth said Tuesday. “The Vermont GOP must address and reject the largely covert network of hatred that binds them to racist and white nationalist elements nationwide.”
Beck said in an interview that Douglass’ messages, and the broader group chat they were a part of, do not reflect the values of the Republican Party in Vermont.
“The stuff that was said in there is just really reprehensible and troubling. It makes me sick to my stomach, to be honest with you,” Beck said. “This type of conversation and language is totally inconsistent with what we’re trying to do in the Vermont GOP.”
