NEWPORT –– Vermont state Sen. Sam Douglass said Friday that he will resign Monday, citing threats against his family following revelations he participated in a group chat where Young Republican leaders exchanged offensive messages.
Douglass, who represents Orleans County, said he and his wife have received “some of the most horrific hate one could imagine” since a Politico investigation published Monday detailed derogatorymessages in a Telegram chat with about a dozen Young Republican leaders from four states.
“For all concerned, me, my wife, my family, I must resign,” Douglass said in a statement. “I know that this decision will upset many, and delight others, but in this political climate I must keep my family safe.”
The resignation, effective Monday at noon, comes after Gov. Phil Scott and the state’s top Republican legislative leaders called for Douglass to step down. In a statement Tuesday, Douglass had said he was “weighing all my options” but stopped short of committing to resignation.
Douglass said he and his wife have received threats including messages hoping their newborn baby would be harmed or taken away. The couple recently had their first child after years of struggling with fertility, and Douglass said he was just returning from paternity leave when the story broke.
“We’ve even heard about an online petition circling to have our baby taken away from us,” Douglass said. “Just today we were sent nasty items in the mail.”
The Politico report documented messages exchanged over seven months that included more than 250 instances of offensive communication between members. The report detailed one instance where Douglass made a derogatory comment about a woman’s hygiene.
Douglass reiterated Friday that his comment “was an unflattering remark about a specific individual, absolutely not a generalization.” He said the contents of the article “do not reflect me or the values of our state.”
He said he was touring substance abuse recovery residences across Vermont when the story broke and was giving a speech about not judging people and giving everyone a second chance.
“I am deeply sorry for the offense this caused and that our state was dragged into this,” Douglass said.
The first-term senator highlighted his legislative work, including an agriculture bill and efforts to reform the state’s welfare system. He said he aimed to serve in a moderate fashion despite representing a conservative Republican district.
Douglass said he has reached out to Jewish and minority friends and colleagues since the story broke. He thanked constituents and legislators from both parties for supportive messages.
“If my Governor asks me to do something, I will act, because I believe in what he’s trying to do for the state of Vermont,” he said.
The scandal has affected Young Republican leaders nationwide. One Kansas participant lost his job with the state attorney general, while another member had a New York congressional campaign job offer rescinded.
