Tim Ashe on Public Trust & the Race for State Auditor, VT's Controversial Supreme Court Confirmation, School Spending Caps, Contested 2026 statewide races

This week Joanna and Andy start with a hard look at Vermont’s relationship to the federal government: the illegal detainments of Steven Tendo and Hussein Noor Hussein, the senate's confirmation of Michael Drescher to the Vermont Supreme Court, and what it means when federal power collides with Vermont values. They also spotlight the Vermont Immigration Legal Defense Fund and why “every purchase is a protest” when local retailers step up where Amazon won’t.Then Deputy Auditor Tim Ashe joins the pod to talk about what the state auditor actually does, why accountability is a prerequisite for restoring public trust, and how the office can influence big-ticket issues like healthcare costs, water quality spending, housing policy, and municipal capacity. He shares stories from the Statehouse, his vision for a truly independent watchdog, and, of course, his go‑to creemee order.#TheresNoAInCreemee #VTPolitics #VermontPodcast #PodcastsOfVT #MontpelierMatters #802Politics #VermontNews #VermontLife #VermontAuditor #TimAsh #GovernmentAccountability #PublicTrust #VTLeg #VermontElections #WatchdogOffice #FollowTheMoney #VermontValues #ImmigrantJustice #VLIDF #HumanRights #VTEd #EducationFunding