The Daily Populous Monday October 20th, 2025 evening edition
Authored by commondreams.org and submitted by ChaskaChanhassen

Vermont state Sen. Sam Douglass is set to step down Monday after being exposed as a participant in a Young Republican group chat in which members—including at least one Trump administration official—exchanged hate-filled messages.

Douglass, a Republican, said in a statement Friday: “I must resign. I know that this decision will upset many, and delight others, but in this political climate I must keep my family safe.”

“If my governor asks me to do something, I will act, because I believe in what he’s trying to do,” the 27-year-old freshman lawmaker added, referring to Republican Vermont Gov. Phil Scott's call for him to step down.

“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 added.

Douglass is the only known elected official involved in a leaked Telegram chat first reported by Politico on Tuesday in which members of Young Republican chapters in four states exchanged racist, anti-LGBTQ+, and misogynistic messages, including quips about an "epic" rape and killing people in Nazi gas chambers.

Group chat participants included Michael Bartels, a senior adviser in the office of general counsel at the US Small Business Administration.

The chat included one message in which Douglass equated being Indian with poor hygiene, and another exchange in which his wife, Vermont Young Republican national committee member Brianna Douglass, admonishes the organization for “expecting the Jew to be honest.”

Prominent Republicans have rallied in defense of what Vice President JD Vance called the private jokes of "young boys"—who are apparently all in their 20s and 30s.

The fallout from the group chat leak has cost a majority of participants in the Telegram chat their jobs or employment offers.

Most prominently, ex-New York State Young Republicans chair Peter Giunta—who posted "I love Hitler"—was fired from his job as chief of staff to New York Assemblyman Michael Reilly (R-62).

Many social media users had the same reaction to Douglass' resignation: "Good riddance!"

GreenStoneRidge on October 20th, 2025 at 12:11 UTC »

So funny to see these people and remember they think they are some sort of elite alpha genes.

RoxyFan2001 on October 20th, 2025 at 11:28 UTC »

After seeing some of the things they said it all but confirms what many of us have been saying about them being Nazis which they always try to deny. There was literally one of them that said they love Hitler who was the chief of staff to a New York Assemblyman.

Prestigious_Net_8356 on October 20th, 2025 at 11:25 UTC »

Oh look, the new team trump hire.