By Meg Hansen, republished from Chronicles, The Magazine of American Culture
Sam Douglass photo via Vermont Legislature
In what can rightfully be called an orchestrated purge, Politico published an exposé of private, transgressive messages between members of a national Young Republican group. Michael Bartels, a former executive secretary of the New York Young Republican Club (NYYRC), attested under oath that former NYYRC president Gavin Wax used threats and blackmail to obtain the chats and that Wax then selectively leaked them to the press.
Vermont Republican State Senator Samuel Douglass was named in the report, which prompted a frenzy amongst his party colleagues. Uniquely exposed as an elected official, Douglass is now the target of a show trial and attempted expulsion.
Every Vermont Republican official with a party title performed the ritual denunciation: reciting the usual litany of -isms and -phobias. How else could they signal their suitability for continued participation in managed opposition? Governor Phil Scott, whose political survival depends on Democrat votes, called on the beleaguered lawmaker to resign and leave the Republican Party. Douglass apologized on Wednesday and said that he will make another statement before the end of the week.
Fixating on the content of these chats, however inappropriate, misses the real issue at stake. Selective outrage and witch hunts are routinely used to eliminate political rivals and settle scores. Virginia attorney general candidate Jay Jones, a Democrat, is in the thick of a scandal over leaked texts in which he fantasized about murdering a Republican legislator and his young children. Have any Democrats—or Vermont GOP politicians for that matter—called for Jones’ withdrawal from the race? Why not? Because politics is not a morality contest. Politics is about gaining and holding onto power, unsettling as that may be to many-a-Republican officeholder.
Politics is about power, and Douglass has it right now. My advice to the 27-year-old state senator from Orleans County: Don’t give it up. Speak with your constituents. Clarify your intent and the context. Make amends if you must but keep your focus on advancing the priorities for which you were elected. Let them strip you of committee assignments. Let them turn you into a pariah in Montpelier. So what? Make a difference where you can. If Vermonters re-elect you in 2026, you will outlast the critics. If they keep voting for you every election cycle, you will build your own mandate.
One does not need to defend Douglass, let alone like him, to recognize that the voters alone get to decide who represents them. Douglass’s fate should be decided at the ballot box next year—not by media operatives or party insiders today.
Orleans County and the rest of the northeast region remain a red island in deep blue Vermont. In the 2024 elections, Vermont Republicans exceeded expectations to win 17 state house seats and six state senate seats. They did particularly well in the northeast, where Douglass defeated a Democratic candidate in whom the left had heavily invested. Culling Douglass would hand Vermont Democrats an important symbolic win. He’s also one of the very few young Republicans from a rural, working-class background in a state legislature otherwise dominated by wealthy retirees and trust-fund progressives.
If Douglass caves to this coordinated hit job, he will give the regime exactly what it wants. The Zoomer right increasingly rejects the Boomer canonization of World War II as the nation’s founding myth and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as its new constitution. Moreover, like their left-wing counterparts, they hold negative views of Israel and the Israel-centric U.S. foreign policy. Sacred cows, once deemed untouchable, are now being dragged to the slaughterhouse. The liberal-interventionist oligarchy fears and loathes this generational reckoning.
Publicly purging a Republican Gen Z state senator would reassert the old guard’s dominance. The rising generation, and other dissidents not seduced by the beauty of losing, have but one choice: Tear up the script and wear tar and feathers like it’s the new black.
Meg Hansen is the Budapest Fellowship Program’s visiting senior research fellow at the Danube Institute in Hungary. Previously, she served as president of a State Policy Network-affiliated think tank in Vermont.
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Categories: Commentary
Maybe we will get through this.
True, much is dealt with on power for leadership. Power, money and fame are big ones, sadly these are not signs of true leadership and those who yield the most do the opposite.
True leadership comes from Love, from forgiveness, from healing. To which there are no laws against, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, meekness, goodness and self control. This would be brining a bit of heaven to our earth.
We cling to our smart phones instead, how many likes do I have, how much power….how much money and fame. We need to change, surely, to change our direction.
We need to humble ourselves or be humbled, eating grass for seven years is not much fun, truly.
Thank you, Meg. Absolutely brilliant!
He who is without sin cast the first stone. There’s no one good or perfect in the Vermont Republican machine that they should be casting judgement or tossing members from the party. If I were Sam Douglass I’d be poking in closets and meting out 7x the wrath that has been poured on him. Shameful people.
I do know this. If a Democrat made such statements, that person’s leadership would condemn the action and then tell us all that the person misspoke and that they are getting some counseling and this is an at best scenario.
We shall see how this goes.
Well said Meg! We’re in “The Witching” season.
Thank you for your thoughtful well voiced piece Meg !
Ms. Hansen, you have coined the perfect term….selective outrage. Here is my challenge…find me a politician (especially the long term ones) that don’t have any skeletons in their closet…who are as pure as the driven snow or as sinless as a new born babe…you get the picture. Bet you can’t find any in either party. Who among us has not written an email, letter or comment or made a misstep that we regretted? Anyone? But like you said….the outrage is selective. And doesn’t it always feel as if it has an ulterior motive behind it? I don’t know Sam Douglas, but I hope he rides out the storm. Do I condone what he said, of course not….but I guarantee that there have been things from some others that I haven’t liked either. Seems like a lot of people throwing stones that should be thinking about their OWN glass houses. Hey! You lot in Montpelier….how about you stop the hypocritical indignation and get on with the business of fixing the mess our state is in! Yea, I know….but an old lady can dream.
Too late…
https://www.wcax.com/2025/10/17/vermont-senator-resign-amid-racist-group-chat-controversy/
And so, the witch hunts begin. Mind your P’s and Q’s or your next, just like in Salem, Mass. in 1692.
Stupid autocorrect, should be “you’re next”.
Not to worry, he’s resigned effective on Monday. Somehow VTDigger is first to get and publish his letter, but they don’t seem to have the entire thing.
Re: “Culling Douglass would hand Vermont Democrats an important symbolic win.”
Please, enough with the false dichotomies. After all, Governor Scott may appoint a more talented conservative replacement. And Sam Douglas and his wife may take this opportunity to reflect, resulting in a demonstrable change of heart, not to mention gained wisdom.
I’m rooting for Sam Douglas and his wife. Give them a chance to prove themselves anew, instead of making excuses for their indiscretions, thereby weakening their standing further.
“I’m rooting for Sam Douglas [sic] and his wife.”
Please, enough with the false sympathy. You’ve had your pitchfork out since the news broke and oddly insist on dragging in his wife (who is not an elected official). I wonder why.
“Making excuses for their indiscretion” [again with the plural… should we be worried?]
This is called a straw man argument. Nowhere was any excuse made. I offered an analysis of what’s actually at stake and your reaction proves it. You were never interested in giving him a chance to “prove himself anew” while still in office.
The GOP is run by an old guard trained to punch right. The same goes for many of its loudest voices. Culling Republican ranks of anyone inconvenient is the only way to get a seat at the progressive table. That was the crux of my analysis.
Regarding your false dichotomy claim: there is no fantasy third option that changes the facts on the ground.
You seem to know nothing about Katherine Sims – of her carpetbagging to become more competitive, or the substantial finances and resources invested in her candidacy, so that VT Democrats could cinch that elusive win and tighten their stranglehold on the state just a tiny bit more.
When she lost to Douglass in 2024, it was a humiliating blow. That hard-fought, meaningful victory is now null and void – no matter which right-wing genius (no doubt a pliable, genuflecting one) is appointed to replace Douglass.
The only winners today were the VT Left and Phil Scott. And maybe that’s just how you like it.
For those who are disappointed, I would say – take heart. The tide changes slowly and then all at once.
Re: “You were never interested in giving him a chance to “prove himself anew” while still in office.”
Correct, Ms. Hansen. Mr. Douglass was a party to the chat group in question, as was his wife. That she is not an elected official doesn’t render her remarks any less hurtful. As I commented to Neil Johnson, “When harm has been done to others, we seek reconciliation, making restitution where possible, and demonstrating a transformed life—beyond just confessing publicly or privately.”
And now I must correct you. I am not making a strawman argument. I didn’t misrepresent, over-simplify, substitute, exaggerate, or take out of context what was reported to have been said.
While I may be old, I’m not a member of the Republican party old guard, or a member of any party for that matter. In fact, my previous comments have consistently criticized the current VTGOP management. Perhaps you might read some of it.
Regarding your assertion that I’m making a false dichotomy claim – I simply pointed out that ‘culling Douglass’[your words] isn’t what happened. He wasn’t just ‘inconvenient’. He made a mistake. He claims it was a careless error. That he saw fit to resign and take the high road reinforces the veracity of his assertion.
Furthermore, I disagree that Douglass’ resignation is a symbolic win for Vermont Democrats. On the contrary, Sam Douglass’s noble resignation has raised the bar across the board for all politicians.
You are also correct in another regard. I know nothing about Katherine Sims or your characterization of Sims as a ‘carpetbagger’… aren’t most of us? I moved to Vermont 50 years ago. When did you move to Vermont?
Finally, will Phil Scott appoint a VT Leftist to take Sam Douglass’s place. Despite your presumptuousness, I truly hope not. But I’ll refrain from speculating. Suffice it to say, again, “It takes time to make good pudding. And therein will be the proof.”
If you think he’s going to put someone conservative in his place?….hahahahahahah seriously?
And it’s exposed what a great race he ran?
They were digging for dirt, surely. They will do this for any effective leader who is conservative, surely. If you are a rino, they’ll leave you alone. If you vote for Biden, they’ll lake you gov!
We need to wiser than snakes and more innocent than doves. Notice how it w as on every news broadcast immediately. That is a public lynching, modern day. That is the crucifixion on the app Ian way, of every tenth soldier, to get compliance from the populace.
And it was done from within, by our most popular governor!
See they will let real criminals run free in Vt, on cashless bail, but heaven forbid you say something wrong, or worse be effective on top and there will be no mercy for you.
This is why the VTGOP can’t do anything, it should be the gov who resigns from the VTGOP!
Just remember state police were fired for signing a wrap song off duty!
Lord help us, please.
Re: “If you think he’s going to put someone conservative in his place?….hahahahahahah seriously?”
It’s not a laughing matter, Neil. My giving a dubious character enough rope to hang themselves is preferable to my acting as they do and using the same rope to hang myself.
Scott’s and Dame’s recommendations concerning Sam Douglass’s resignation provides all the rope necessary. Don’t squander it by tying it around your own neck.
Seriously, you say you’re an old man but you’re out here acting like a private comment from a private citizen is the end of the world. Is your personal offense really more important than the lives of young couple with a baby? Nobody’s defending crudeness but this type of vindictiveness is exactly why people are sick of VT GOP.
Katherine Sims ran for the Orleans-Lamoille House district but kept losing. She then moved and ran for Orleans-4 and beat Vicki Strong. That’s what carpetbagging means in this case.
—
Katherine Sims ran for the Orleans-Lamoille House district but kept losing. She then moved and ran for Orleans-4 and beat Vicki Strong. That’s what carpetbagging means in this case.
The Charlie Kirk drama and now the Sam Douglass drama around free speech and what do we have planned for next week to keep the public busy following one soap opera after another while there are many other things going on that are making life a little more difficult. Sorry Sam, the franklin County Sheriff has bigger balls than you do and he still in limited power after his attempted purge from office. Comment from Richard Day with no apology.
The Uni-Party wins! Sad.
Remember when a GOP member makes an unsavory comment they must be removed from office, when a Democrat does they are permitted to issue a statement of regret and go forward as usual. Even professing the shooting death of your election opponent, his wife and their young children with ‘a bullet in their head’ as in Virginia Attorney General race.
Al Franken is wondering if you can remember back ten years. Stop acting like a whiny victim.
If one chooses to dwell within a den of vipers – expect to get bit. The smear campaign (Nancy Pelosi schooled us on this years ago!) is the weapon of cancel culture – it is practiced and condoned from both sides of the aisle. Performance art and skull duggery to manipulate and deceive – whomever believes and eats the slop dished out through the media – the better the polling points for the purveyors of death and destruction.
Here is a kernel of Truth – I have seen many dispicible, disparaging, nasty commentary by liberal soy white boys on their social media feeds. The same ones sitting on city councils, in the House of Representatives, and in Congress. You know the ones who exclaim “we pick the winners and losers.” In mirrored fashion, the right side alpha(?) males like Stephen Miller who spit fowl condemnation against the left. Meanwhile, they continue to build the NWO digital prison planet, making serious bank through wealth transfers, and selling us the vapor paper towers of Babylon. Babble – so much babble in Mystery Babylon – all by design, all on purpose for a nefarious, evil purpose.
For the “Christian” right, “To err is human, to forgive, divine.” seems to be forgotten and are the quickest to throw shade, throw their own brother/sister under the bus, tax and penalize with lawfare warfare, then pretend they are somehow immune to judgement for doing so.
There is no business like show business. There is no honor among thieves. A pack of wolves, disquised as the saviors, peace peddling treachours dealers, peddling lies with twisted tongues and twisted virtue. High time to wake up and smell the sulphur.
Did everyone get their American flag swastika edition? Rep Dave Taylor is distributing them. Let’s hear it VDC commentators: defend the flag!!!
There is definitely an undercurrent of white supremacy in the trump world. Oops, did I just say that?
BTW…. happy King Day! Remember, repeat what trump says and all will be well.
Actually Nick, it’s greenback supremacy. All the green turned into gawdy dripping gold – like golden doves, calves, and toilets. For the other side, it is stealing green selling green fairytales and narcotics to get rich. Like Ilhan Omar said, it’s all about the “Benjamins” and she wasn’t lying – her husband inside traded a bundle of those bad colonist occupying fed notes. Optics, rituals, symbolism – very important and stage setting glamour from pulpits or podiums is equally important. The only color that matters is green in their pockets, none in ours.
Thanks Nick, I will be celebrating King Biden and his Queen Harris for their skipping primary election for the Presidential ticket and installing Kamala without a single vote from public, attempting to remove their opponent from the Presidential ballot, and using the Dept of Justice to push fraudulent court cases against their opponent including unlawfully appointing a special prosecutor, not to mention the 2500 pardons including for crimes not yet discovered or committed including his own son for one of the greatest kickback schemes in history which paperwork is now being discovered by Congress.
For anyone interested in the facts of this matter: “
Mr. Rosato’s citation of American flags with an embedded swastika refer to a series of deliberately altered U.S. flags—featuring the Nazi-associated symbol subtly integrated into the red stripes via ink, weaving, or manual modifications (e.g., markers and whiteout)—that were anonymously distributed to multiple Republican congressional offices in Washington, D.C., starting around January 2025. These flags appear as ordinary American flags to the naked eye but reveal the swastika clearly in photographs or videos, creating an “optical illusion” effect. The incidents prompted investigations by the U.S. Capitol Police and the House Administration Committee to determine the distributor’s identity, intent, and whether it was a targeted act of vandalism, sabotage, or political provocation against GOP lawmakers.
So far, no evidence suggests Rep. Dave Taylor (R-Ohio) distributed the American flags with embedded swastikas. Taylor was among the Republican congressional members whose offices received these flags, which were anonymously mailed or delivered to multiple GOP offices in Washington, D.C., starting around January 2025. Taylor publicly condemned the flags, describing them as “vile” and part of a “ruse” targeting Republicans, and his office cooperated with the U.S. Capitol Police and House Administration Committee investigations. The perpetrator(s) remain unidentified as of October 18, 2025, with no reports linking Taylor to their distribution.
Perhaps Mr. Rosato can enlighten us on who the actual perpetrators might be.
I did see the nokingers hanging an American flag upside down over I-89. Bad look, to me.
Jay, thanks for laying out the facts. I found this particularly hilarious: “These flags appear as ordinary American flags to the naked eye but reveal the swastika clearly in photographs or videos, creating an “optical illusion” effect.” Really, dude? That’s your explanation? Can’t see it? It’s like saying “when trump takes a dump it really smells like golden roses, but the nasal illusion is that it smells like s***.” Come on, man.
And Guy, it’s likely hyperbole to say the kid in the video was a hardcore racist or nazi just because of the american flag nazi-edition tacked to his cubicle, but it certainly lends itself to the critique.
Does flying Old Glory upside down mean a signal of distress? Some say that is what it means. Some flags appear with gold fringe in places of power? Maritime law symbolism? The corporation coup formed at sea, while we remained on our land? Regardless, our flag, with or without fringe, resulted in many dead defending it. I see flags of other countries being waved as a symbol – allegience to that country or just pure ignorance? I see other flags displayed prominently to signal a covenant and capitulation to mob-fraud squad-group think.
All part and parcel of psychological warfare. The colors are symbolic and part of the ritual – we’re programmed to fear some and celebrate others. All programming for a purpose on purpose. For believers, be aware of ones featuring dragons and serpents. Carry on!
The No Kings protests accomplish absolutely nothing, it’s totally political. I emailed back and forth with one of the “organizers” in Hardwick asking her what the objective of this protest and it was so obvious that her responses were group think bullcrap. I’m actually thinking about emailing her again and asking if she feels like something was accomplished for the betterment of America. And also, to let her know that the funding for this protest is money funneled through “Riot Inc”… main donors:
Arabella Network 79.7M+
Soros Network 72.1M+
Ford Network 51.7M+
Tides 45,5M+
Rockerfeller 28.6M+
Buffet 16.6M+
What a bunch of dumba**es… just my opinion
I get it, Rosato. There’s no need to reiterate. You explain it to us with every comment you make…. for you, facts are meaningless.
NO KINGS!! Unless they’re Democrat
I’ll be scanning the crowds to see if a mother will allow her 8 year old to hold her f… Trump sign.
Biggest Astro turf event yet, paid for by NGOs and non profits who are truly trying to keep control of our state and country.
Funny, I remember nobody in the vtgop stood up for the principal who suggested that rioting, stealing and looting might not endear the public to the cause she supported, BLM. That cost the state some serious money. Long court cases, but yeah step out of line, if you don’t support the _itchy little marxists you’ll be cancelled!
The number 33 and the connection to the Charlie Kirk drama and the Sam Douglass drama. Maybe Meg Hansen can connect the dots. Comment from Richard Day.
I remember you Meg. A bright young Republican star rising. They got one of their buddies to challenge you in the primary at the last minute. You would have made a fine Lt. Governor. Seems they do not want young new talent just the old guard. Sam’s case is so similar.
Please, let us have the names of the old guard, so we can confront these people. Comment from Richard Day.
It is not AT ALL hypocritical. Instead, it shows the INTEGRITY of the VTGOP.
Spot on Meg! Glad to know you are well!!