Charity Clark
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2024}}
{{Short description|American politician (born 1975)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Charity Clark
|image = Charity Clark.jpg
|office = 28th Attorney General of Vermont
|governor = Phil Scott
|term_start = January 5, 2023
|term_end =
|predecessor = Susanne Young
|successor =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|7|15}}
|birth_place = Springfield, Vermont, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|spouse = Robert Lietar (divorced)
|children = 1
|party = Democratic
|education = University 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{{cite news |date=February 28, 1994 |title=College Notes: Charity Rae Clark |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/113383754/college-notes/ |work=Bennington Banner |location=Bennington, VT |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}} was born in Springfield, Vermont on July 15, 1975.{{cite news |date=July 17, 1975 |title=Hospital: Springfield |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119226595/hospital/ |work=Rutland Herald |location=Rutland, VT |page=19 |via=Newspapers.com |quote="Born Tuesday in Springfield Hospital were twins, two daughters, to Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Clark of Ludlow."}}{{cite news |last=Sukiennik |first=Greg |date=January 4, 2023 |title=From Manchester to Montpelier: Charity Clark set to become Vermont's first woman elected AG |url=https://www.manchesterjournal.com/local-news/from-manchester-to-montpelier-charity-clark-set-to-become-vermonts-first-woman-elected-ag/article_5fe595d2-8c63-11ed-8ade-a364fd8046ed.html |work=Manchester Journal |location=Manchester, VT |quote="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."}} She was raised in Manchester, Vermont{{cite news |date=November 9, 2022 |title=Our View: Southern Vermont made its voice heard |url=https://www.manchesterjournal.com/opinion/editorials/our-view-southern-vermont-made-its-voice-heard/article_1089e848-4ae4-5210-9ef1-3a6cec85ed26.html |work=Manchester Journal |location=Manchester, VT}}{{cite web|url=https://www.benningtonbanner.com/local-news/charity-clark-top-official-in-attorney-generals-office-running-for-position/article_c5f7d464-d518-11ec-9b49-fb1d4af92587.html|title=Charity Clark, top official in Attorney General's office, running for position|first=Greg |last=Sukiennik |website=Bennington Banner|date=May 16, 2022 }} and resides in Williston, Vermont.{{cite news |last=Clark |first=Charity R. |date=July 14, 2022 |title=Charity Clark: Our Freedom Is at Stake |url=https://www.reformer.com/opinion/charity-clark-our-freedom-is-at-stake/article_faa803ce-fecf-11ec-b1e1-6bf5506d4f0b.html |work=Brattleboro Reformer |location=Brattleboro, VT}} She is a descendant of Thomas Chittenden, the first governor of Vermont. Her father, Marshall Clark, owned a supermarket in Londonderry, Vermont.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=July 13, 2011 |title=Clark-Lietar marry at Hildene |url=https://www.manchesterjournal.com/news/local/clark-lietar-marry-at-hildene/article_aaaf8427-0936-5efb-9bac-88e23dc8aa0a.html |work=Manchester Journal |location=Manchester, VT}} Her mother, Melody MacGinnis Reed, was executive director of the non-profit arts organization Gallery at the VAULT in Springfield. Clark graduated from Burr and Burton Seminary in 1993. Her siblings include a twin sister, Chelsea. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Vermont in 1997{{cite news |date=May 18, 1997 |title=University of Vermont 1997 Graduates |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/113378761/graduates/ |work=Rutland Herald |location=Rutland, VT |page=E4 |via=Newspapers.com}} and served as a policy analyst in the administration of Governor Howard Dean. She then enrolled at Boston College Law School, earning her Juris Doctor degree in 2005.
After passing the bar, Clark joined the Burlington, Vermont firm of Downs, Rachlin Martin as an associate attorney.{{cite news |date=November 8, 2005 |title=Vermont Business Highlights: People; Charity R. Clark |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/113379492/clark/ |work=The Burlington Free Press |location=Burlington, VT |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}} She later worked in New York City, where she was an attorney with the firm of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe.
In 2014, William Sorrell, then the attorney general of Vermont, hired Clark as an assistant attorney general.{{cite web|last=Resmer |first=Cathy |url=https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/charity-clark-joins-race-for-vermont-attorney-general/Content?oid=35585418 |title=Charity Clark Joins Race for Vermont Attorney General | Politics | Seven Days | Vermont's Independent Voice |publisher=Sevendaysvt.com |date= |accessdate=November 20, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.willistonobserver.com/news/williston/charity-clark-launches-ag-campaign/article_08190368-af42-5210-ad2c-d68e39ec1ec8.html|title=Charity Clark launches AG campaign|website=Williston Observer|date=May 19, 2022 }} She served as the chief of staff to T. J. Donovan for four years while Donovan served as attorney general.{{cite news |date=October 11, 2022 |title=Attorney General: Charity Clark, Democrat |url=https://www.timesargus.com/news/local/attorney-general-charity-clark-democrat/article_869cb3c8-630a-5201-b92c-869e855b1663.html |work=Barre Montpelier Times Argus |location=Barre, VT}} She resigned in May 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.wamc.org/news/2022-05-09/vermont-attorney-generals-chief-of-staff-steps-down|title=Vermont Attorney General's Chief of Staff steps down|date=May 9, 2022|website=WAMC}}
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.{{cite web|url=https://www.wcax.com/2022/05/16/charity-clark-announces-run-vermont-attorney-general/|title=Charity Clark announces run for Vermont attorney general|first=Calvin|last=Cutler|website=WCAX.com|date=May 16, 2022 }}{{efn|Donovan resigned in June and the governor appointed Susanne Young to replace him. Young was not a candidate for a full term.{{cite news |last=Keays |first=Alan J. |date=June 10, 2022 |title=TJ Donovan leaving attorney general's post early to take job with online gaming company Roblox |url=https://vtdigger.org/2022/06/10/tj-donovan-leaving-attorney-generals-post-early-to-take-job-with-online-gaming-company-roblox/ |work=VT Digger |location=Montpelier, VT}}{{cite news |last1=Mearhoff |first1=Sarah |last2=Keays |first2=Alan J. |last3=Weinstein |first3=Ethan |date=June 22, 2022 |title=Phil Scott appoints former Administration Secretary Susanne Young to complete attorney general's term |url=https://vtdigger.org/2022/06/22/phil-scott-appoints-former-administration-secretary-susanne-young-to-complete-attorney-generals-term/ |work=VT Digger |location=Montpelier, VT}}}} Clark defeated Rory Thibault, the states attorney for Washington County, in the Democratic Party primary election, 58% to 28%.{{cite web|url=https://www.manchesterjournal.com/local-news/northshire-native-charity-clark-wins-democratic-nomination-for-ag/article_edb1c652-18ea-11ed-806b-97e00a5c1b8c.html|title=Northshire native Charity Clark wins Democratic nomination for AG|first=Greg Sukiennik, Manchester|last=Journal|website=Manchester Journal|date=August 10, 2022 }} In the November 8 general election, she faced Republican Mike Tagliavia, a first-time candidate who is not an attorney,{{Cite web|url=https://vtdigger.org/2022/11/04/in-the-race-for-vermonts-attorney-general-only-one-candidate-is-an-attorney/|title=In the race for Vermont's attorney general, only one candidate is an attorney|first=Sarah|last=Mearhoff|date=November 4, 2022|website=VTDigger}} and won the election with 65% of the vote, becoming the first woman ever elected Attorney General of Vermont.{{cite web|url=https://www.wcax.com/2022/11/09/clark-wins-vt-attorney-general-contest/ |title=Clark wins Vt. attorney general contest |publisher=Wcax.com |date= November 9, 2022|accessdate=November 10, 2022}}{{cite web|last=Menezes |first=Andrew |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/08/politics/2022-midterm-election-historic-firsts/index.html |title=Karen Bass, Juan Ciscomani among the history-makers of the 2022 midterm elections | CNN Politics |publisher=Cnn.com |date= November 9, 2022|accessdate=November 20, 2022}} In 2024, Clark was reelected.https://www.wcax.com/2024/11/06/charity-clark-captures-2nd-term-vt-attorney-general/
Personal life
In May 2011, Clark married Robert Lietar, a television producer and documentary filmmaker.{{cite news |date=July 13, 2011 |title=Clark-Lietar Marry at Hildene |url=https://www.manchesterjournal.com/news/local/clark-lietar-marry-at-hildene/article_aaaf8427-0936-5efb-9bac-88e23dc8aa0a.html |work=Manchester Journal |location=Manchester, VT |access-date=}} Their ceremony took place at Hildene, the Robert Todd Lincoln home in Manchester, Vermont. They later divorced, and are the parents of a daughter.{{cite magazine |last=Lembo |first=Elaine |date=Winter 2023 |title=Alumni News: The People's Lawyer |url=https://lawmagazine.bc.edu/2023/01/the-peoples-lawyer/ |magazine=BC Law |location=Boston, MA |publisher=Boston College Law School}}
Notes
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References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commonscat}}
- [https://ago.vermont.gov/ Government website]
- [https://www.charityforvermont.com/ Campaign website]
{{CongLinks|votesmart=207553}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=T. J. Donovan}}
{{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for Vermont Attorney General|years=2022, 2024}}
{{s-inc|recent}}
{{s-legal}}
{{s-bef|before=Susanne Young}}
{{s-ttl|title=Attorney General of Vermont|years=2023–present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}
{{Current Vermont statewide political officials}}
{{U.S. State Attorneys General}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Charity}}
Category:Boston College Law School alumni
Category:People from Manchester, Vermont
Category:People from Williston, Vermont
Category:Political chiefs of staff
Category:University of Vermont alumni