Charity Clark

Charity Clark
28th Attorney General of Vermont
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 5, 2023
GovernorPhil Scott
Preceded bySusanne Young
Personal details
Born (1975-07-15) July 15, 1975 (age 49)
Springfield, Vermont, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseRobert Lietar (divorced)
Children1
EducationUniversity of Vermont (BA)
Boston College (JD)

Charity Rae Clark (born July 15, 1975) is an American lawyer and politician from Vermont. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served as Vermont Attorney General since January 2023.

Early life and career

Charity Rae Clark[1] was born in Springfield, Vermont on July 15, 1975.[2][3] She was raised in Manchester, Vermont[4][5] and resides in Williston, Vermont.[6] She is a descendant of Thomas Chittenden, the first governor of Vermont.[5] Her father, Marshall Clark, owned a supermarket in Londonderry, Vermont.[5][7] Her mother, Melody MacGinnis Reed, was executive director of the non-profit arts organization Gallery at the VAULT in Springfield.[7] Clark graduated from Burr and Burton Seminary in 1993.[5] Her siblings include a twin sister, Chelsea.[3] She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Vermont in 1997[8] and served as a policy analyst in the administration of Governor Howard Dean.[5] She then enrolled at Boston College Law School, earning her Juris Doctor degree in 2005.[5]

After passing the bar, Clark joined the Burlington, Vermont firm of Downs, Rachlin Martin as an associate attorney.[9] She later worked in New York City, where she was an attorney with the firm of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe.[7]

In 2014, William Sorrell, then the attorney general of Vermont, hired Clark as an assistant attorney general.[10][11] She served as the chief of staff to T. J. Donovan for four years while Donovan served as attorney general.[12] She resigned in May 2022.[13]

Attorney general of Vermont

The week after resigning as Donovan's chief of staff, Clark announced her candidacy for state attorney general in the 2022 Vermont Attorney General election, as Donovan was not seeking reelection.[14][a] Clark defeated Rory Thibault, the states attorney for Washington County, in the Democratic Party primary election, 58% to 28%.[17] In the November 8 general election, she faced Republican Mike Tagliavia, a first-time candidate who is not an attorney,[18] and won the election with 65% of the vote, becoming the first woman ever elected Attorney General of Vermont.[19][20] In 2024, Clark was reelected.[21]

Personal life

In May 2011, Clark married Robert Lietar, a television producer and documentary filmmaker.[22] Their ceremony took place at Hildene, the Robert Todd Lincoln home in Manchester, Vermont.[22] They later divorced, and are the parents of a daughter.[23]

Notes

  1. ^ Donovan resigned in June and the governor appointed Susanne Young to replace him. Young was not a candidate for a full term.[15][16]

References

  1. ^ "College Notes: Charity Rae Clark". Bennington Banner. Bennington, VT. February 28, 1994. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Hospital: Springfield". Rutland Herald. Rutland, VT. July 17, 1975. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com. Born Tuesday in Springfield Hospital were twins, two daughters, to Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Clark of Ludlow.
  3. ^ a b Sukiennik, Greg (January 4, 2023). "From Manchester to Montpelier: Charity Clark set to become Vermont's first woman elected AG". Manchester Journal. Manchester, VT. Family and friends will be gathered at the Statehouse to witness Clark's big day, including her mother, her daughter, her twin sister Chelsea, and many friends.
  4. ^ "Our View: Southern Vermont made its voice heard". Manchester Journal. Manchester, VT. November 9, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Sukiennik, Greg (May 16, 2022). "Charity Clark, top official in Attorney General's office, running for position". Bennington Banner.
  6. ^ Clark, Charity R. (July 14, 2022). "Charity Clark: Our Freedom Is at Stake". Brattleboro Reformer. Brattleboro, VT.
  7. ^ a b c "Clark-Lietar marry at Hildene". Manchester Journal. Manchester, VT. July 13, 2011.
  8. ^ "University of Vermont 1997 Graduates". Rutland Herald. Rutland, VT. May 18, 1997. p. E4 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Vermont Business Highlights: People; Charity R. Clark". The Burlington Free Press. Burlington, VT. November 8, 2005. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Resmer, Cathy. "Charity Clark Joins Race for Vermont Attorney General | Politics | Seven Days | Vermont's Independent Voice". Sevendaysvt.com. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  11. ^ "Charity Clark launches AG campaign". Williston Observer. May 19, 2022.
  12. ^ "Attorney General: Charity Clark, Democrat". Barre Montpelier Times Argus. Barre, VT. October 11, 2022.
  13. ^ "Vermont Attorney General's Chief of Staff steps down". WAMC. May 9, 2022.
  14. ^ Cutler, Calvin (May 16, 2022). "Charity Clark announces run for Vermont attorney general". WCAX.com.
  15. ^ Keays, Alan J. (June 10, 2022). "TJ Donovan leaving attorney general's post early to take job with online gaming company Roblox". VT Digger. Montpelier, VT.
  16. ^ Mearhoff, Sarah; Keays, Alan J.; Weinstein, Ethan (June 22, 2022). "Phil Scott appoints former Administration Secretary Susanne Young to complete attorney general's term". VT Digger. Montpelier, VT.
  17. ^ Journal, Greg Sukiennik, Manchester (August 10, 2022). "Northshire native Charity Clark wins Democratic nomination for AG". Manchester Journal.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ Mearhoff, Sarah (November 4, 2022). "In the race for Vermont's attorney general, only one candidate is an attorney". VTDigger.
  19. ^ "Clark wins Vt. attorney general contest". Wcax.com. November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  20. ^ Menezes, Andrew (November 9, 2022). "Karen Bass, Juan Ciscomani among the history-makers of the 2022 midterm elections | CNN Politics". Cnn.com. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  21. ^ https://www.wcax.com/2024/11/06/charity-clark-captures-2nd-term-vt-attorney-general/
  22. ^ a b "Clark-Lietar Marry at Hildene". Manchester Journal. Manchester, VT. July 13, 2011.
  23. ^ Lembo, Elaine (Winter 2023). "Alumni News: The People's Lawyer". BC Law. Boston, MA: Boston College Law School.
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Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Vermont Attorney General
2022, 2024 		Most recent
Legal offices
Preceded by Attorney General of Vermont
2023–present 		Incumbent