The Vermont state senator who’s been under pressure to resign since revelations surfaced this week of his participation in a racist group chat announced Friday evening that he’s leaving public office.
Orleans County Sen. Samuel Douglass, a Republican, said in a written statement Friday that he’s resigning his post effective Monday.
“I must resign,” Douglass said in a statement sent to media outlets. “I know that this decision will upset many, and delight others, but in this political climate I must keep my family safe.”
“I love my state, my people, and I am deeply sorry for the offense this caused and that our state was dragged into this."Orleans county Sen. Samuel Douglass
Douglass was the subject of a Politico story Tuesday that revealed a leaked group chat between members of Young Republican chapters in four states, including Vermont. The group chat included one message in which Douglass mocked the bathing habits of people from India, and another exchange where his wife wrote of “expecting the Jew to be honest.”
Republican Gov. Phil Scott, who endorsed Douglass last year, became the first public official to call for his resignation hours after the story broke.
“The vile, racist, bigoted, and antisemitic dialogue that has been reported is deeply disturbing. There is simply no excuse for it,” Scott said. “Those involved should resign from their roles immediately and leave the Republican party — including Vermont State Senator Sam Douglass.”
Within 24 hours, most state leaders in both the Democratic and Republican parties also called for Douglass to step down.
Douglass said he’s been bombarded with “horrific hate” in recent days in messages directed at him, his wife and their new baby. Douglass said the comments attributed to him in the Politico story were directed at “a specific individual” and was not a “generalization” about an entire race of people.
“I love my state, my people, and I am deeply sorry for the offense this caused and that our state was dragged into this,” Douglass said. “The contents of the article do not reflect me or the values of our state.”
On Wednesday, the Rutland area and Windham County branches of the NAACP and ACLU of Vermont condemned Douglass’ involvement in the chat. The organizations pointed to it, as well as the recent resignation of Northfield Police Chief Pierre Gomez, one of the few police chiefs of color in the state, as reminders of the persistence of racism in Vermont.
“Both point to a deeper problem that many Vermonters know all too well,” said the statement from the Vermont NAACP branches. “Racism in Vermont is not always loud or visible. It often hides in everyday conversations, private messages, and quiet decisions made behind closed doors.”
Scott will appoint a Republican to replace Douglass in the Vermont Senate.
