Vermont AG Charity Clark's PR Team Fearlessly Touts Her Accomplishments—Even Beyond Her Own Contributions
Along with her victories comes a recurring question: how much of the spotlight belongs to Clark herself, and how much to the coalition work and broader forces behind those wins?
Since taking office as Vermont’s first elected female Attorney General, Charity Clark has embraced the courtroom fight. Few would dispute that she has been active, visible, and eager to show that Vermont’s top law office has teeth. But along with her victories comes a recurring question: how much of the spotlight belongs to Clark herself, and how much to the coalition work and broader forces behind those wins?
A High-Profile Claim on AmeriCorps Funding
On August 29, 2025, Clark issued a press release declaring that her office “prevented” a proposed $184 million cut to AmeriCorps service programs. To Vermont readers, the framing suggested a decisive, singular action. In truth, the preservation of AmeriCorps funding was the outcome of a multistate effort and the result of wider negotiations in Washington. Clark’s involvement was real—Vermont joined the challenge, adding its name and weight to the legal arguments—but the scale of Vermont’s independent influence in a $184 million national dispute is debatable.
Education Funding Lawsuit: Full Relief Secured
Four days earlier, Clark announced “full relief” for Vermont schools in a lawsuit challenging withheld education funds. Again, the language leaned toward personal credit, though the outcome owed as much to the collective work of multiple states and federal rulings as it did to any one attorney general’s legal filings. That said, Vermont schools did directly benefit, and Clark’s role in making sure Vermont was part of the fight helped guarantee that those benefits reached local classrooms.
Joining National Coalitions, Even on Distant Issues
Clark has also been quick to sign Vermont onto lawsuits spearheaded by other states, sometimes in cases where Vermont’s direct stake is slim. This practice is not unusual—attorneys general often pool resources to shape federal policy—but it does raise the question of whether Vermont’s participation is more about practical impact or about keeping its AG in the national conversation.
Where Humility Shows Through
To be fair, not every victory is framed with fanfare. When Clark’s office settled smaller consumer protection cases or collaborated on regional agreements with clear Vermont implications, her tone has at times been closer to the Vermont tradition of understatement—acknowledging the work without overstating the office’s role. These moments, though less likely to make headlines, align more closely with Vermonters’ cultural preference for modesty.
Sidebar: Five Big Cases and Vermont’s Role
1. AmeriCorps Funding (2025)
Clark’s Claim: Prevented $184 million in cuts to AmeriCorps service programs.
Reality Check: Vermont joined a multistate challenge; the outcome hinged largely on federal negotiations. Vermont’s role ensured inclusion, but was not decisive.
2. Education Funding Lawsuit (2025)
Clark’s Claim: Secured “full relief” for Vermont schools after funds were withheld.
Reality Check: Multistate litigation led to a favorable ruling. Vermont’s participation guaranteed local schools shared in the relief, but Clark did not drive the case alone.
3. National Environmental Coalitions
Clark’s Claim: Protecting Vermont’s environment through lawsuits challenging federal rollbacks.
Reality Check: Vermont has small emissions compared to larger states, but joining national suits gives Vermont a voice and aligns the state with broader policy trends.
4. Consumer Protection Settlements
Clark’s Claim: Delivered relief for Vermonters harmed by corporate practices (e.g., unfair lending, misleading advertising).
Reality Check: Here Vermont’s office often plays a more direct role—investigating complaints, negotiating settlements, and bringing dollars directly back to residents.
5. Opioid Accountability
Clark’s Claim: Part of nationwide settlements against drug manufacturers and distributors.
Reality Check: Vermont’s piece of the settlements is modest compared to large states, but Clark’s office had a meaningful role in making sure funds are directed to treatment and recovery programs within Vermont.
📌 Takeaway: Clark’s office is actively involved in shaping outcomes that matter to Vermonters, but the press releases often highlight her leadership more than the collaborative or supporting role Vermont sometimes plays.
Political Ambition in the Open
For Vermonters reading between the lines, it is hard to ignore the possibility that Clark’s communications strategy signals bigger political ambitions. Whether for statewide reelection, a bid for governor, or even federal office someday, her consistent emphasis on visibility and personal credit points to a desire to build a statewide and national profile.
The Vermont Balance
Vermonters are not known as braggarts; understatement has long been a cultural touchstone. Clark, though Vermont-born and raised, seems to be testing the limits of that tradition.
She is clearly working to deliver results, but she is also shaping the story of those results to spotlight her own leadership.
For voters, the question may not be whether Clark is effective—she has shown she can deliver—but whether her style of taking credit matches what Vermonters expect from their public servants.