Vermont Republican Senator Resigns Amid Racist and Antisemitic Group Chat Scandal
A 26-year-old Vermont state senator has resigned over participation in a racist and antisemitic group chat that circulated within the Young Republican political group. The scandal, which also saw the revocation of the New York state Young Republicans' charter, highlights the growing concern about hate speech and extremism within conservative circles.
Senator Samuel Douglass stepped down on Friday, citing his desire to keep his family safe amidst intense pressure from Governor Phil Scott and other lawmakers. In a statement posted online, Douglass expressed "deep regret" for the offense caused by his comments, which included derogatory remarks about an obese Indian woman and an exchange where he described how a Jewish person may have made a procedural error.
His wife, Brianna Douglass, also participated in the chat and responded with an antisemitic remark. Other messages in the group reflected factional infighting within the Young Republicans, including slurs against LGBTQ+ individuals, references to gas chambers, and jokes about rape.
Douglass's resignation comes as part of a larger scandal that has drawn national attention. Governor Scott had called for Douglass's immediate resignation, stating that there was "no excuse" for the vile dialogue in the chat. JD Vance, another Republican politician, downplayed the exchanges as "edgy" and "offensive jokes" told by "kids."
The incident raises concerns about the growing presence of hate groups within conservative circles and the need for greater accountability among politicians who participate in such activities. Vermont's minority leader Scott Beck welcomed Douglass's resignation, saying it marked the end of a "difficult week" in the state.
As the US continues to grapple with the rise of extremism and hate speech, lawmakers must take responsibility for their words and actions, particularly when they involve discriminatory or hateful language. The case of Senator Samuel Douglass serves as a reminder that tolerance and respect are essential components of a functioning democracy.
A 26-year-old Vermont state senator has resigned over participation in a racist and antisemitic group chat that circulated within the Young Republican political group. The scandal, which also saw the revocation of the New York state Young Republicans' charter, highlights the growing concern about hate speech and extremism within conservative circles.
Senator Samuel Douglass stepped down on Friday, citing his desire to keep his family safe amidst intense pressure from Governor Phil Scott and other lawmakers. In a statement posted online, Douglass expressed "deep regret" for the offense caused by his comments, which included derogatory remarks about an obese Indian woman and an exchange where he described how a Jewish person may have made a procedural error.
His wife, Brianna Douglass, also participated in the chat and responded with an antisemitic remark. Other messages in the group reflected factional infighting within the Young Republicans, including slurs against LGBTQ+ individuals, references to gas chambers, and jokes about rape.
Douglass's resignation comes as part of a larger scandal that has drawn national attention. Governor Scott had called for Douglass's immediate resignation, stating that there was "no excuse" for the vile dialogue in the chat. JD Vance, another Republican politician, downplayed the exchanges as "edgy" and "offensive jokes" told by "kids."
The incident raises concerns about the growing presence of hate groups within conservative circles and the need for greater accountability among politicians who participate in such activities. Vermont's minority leader Scott Beck welcomed Douglass's resignation, saying it marked the end of a "difficult week" in the state.
As the US continues to grapple with the rise of extremism and hate speech, lawmakers must take responsibility for their words and actions, particularly when they involve discriminatory or hateful language. The case of Senator Samuel Douglass serves as a reminder that tolerance and respect are essential components of a functioning democracy.
this is so messed up 
senator samuel douglas has some serious explaining to do about his racist & antisemitic group chat comments 
he was part of a convo with derogatory remarks about an obese indian woman and made fun of how a jew might've messed up in a procedure 
can you even imagine having that kind of hate in your head? 
it shows he knows what's right to do. but seriously, this is a huge deal & we need more people like beck speaking out against hate speech 
his wife was involved too which is even more disturbing ... JD Vance trying to downplay the severity of the situation by calling it "edgy jokes" just not cool 
need to hold our politicians accountable for their words, can't just sweep this under the rug 
. Like, how can you not see where this is going? The lack of accountability in these situations is staggering. I'm all for free speech and all, but when it comes to hate speech, there needs to be serious consequences.
. It's not "edgy" or "offensive jokes", it's vile, discriminatory language that has real-world consequences.
, and we can't keep sweeping this kind of stuff under the rug.
. and honestly, JD Vance downplaying those exchanges as "edgy jokes" is just ridiculous 
. politicians need to hold each other accountable for their words & actions, especially when they're hurtful to others. this whole thing is a total wake-up call 
for the US to take hate speech seriously & work towards creating a more inclusive society 
. Can't believe the kind of hate speech that's going on within our own political groups. It's like, we're supposed to be promoting unity and understanding, not spreading hate and intolerance. And it's not just one person, it's a whole group chat full of racist and antisemitic remarks... it's just disgusting 
. We need to take responsibility for our words and actions, and hold each other accountable. Can't we just treat everyone with respect and kindness? 
It's one thing to be passionate about politics, but hate groups and racist comments aren't the way to go about it. You gotta keep it civil and respectful, even when you disagree with someone. Extremism is a real issue and politicians need to take responsibility for their words and actions. We can't just sweep this stuff under the rug and expect everything to be okay 
.
participating in this group chat where they were spewing hate speech? It's like, how do you even explain that away? 
We gotta hold each other accountable for our words, 'specially when they're hurtin' people. It's time for us to have tough conversations about what we're allowin' ourselves to get comfortable with. 
and it's like woah how did we even get here in 2025?!? anyway senator douglass i feel bad for ur fam but come on dude u can't just ghost the whole thing like that...and what's with his wife too?? that antisemitic comment tho...anyway yeah i'm all about accountability now 
especially when it comes to ppl in power who are supposed to be leading by example. we need more leaders like governor scott who r not afraid to call out hate speech and extremism 
and then they got their wife in it too... it's just a huge letdown. our politicians need to do better, no excuse for hate speech, period. 
. we need more people like scott beck, who r speakin up about these kinds of issues, not just wringin their hands & hopin it goes away 
.
. Can't trust the Young Republicans anymore?