MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) - Vermont state Senator Samuel Douglass on Monday officially stepped down from office less than a week after he was exposed for participating in a racist group chat with other young Republicans, leading to swift condemnation from both sides of the aisle.

Since the texts were made public by Politico, Douglass says he has apologized for having Vermont caught up in the controversy that he says exposed his family to hateful messages.

“I have reached out to the majority of my Jewish and BIPOC friends and colleagues to ensure that they can be honest and upfront with me, and I know that as a young person, I have a duty to set a good example for others,” Douglass said in a statement Friday .

Former state senator Bobby Starr, who held the Essex-Orleans district seat for

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