Page 13 - MidWeek - March 8, 2023

COVER STORY
A MARCH 8, 2023 MIDWEEK 13
s Hawai‘i’s chief federal law enforcement official, U.S. Attorney Clare Con-
nors leads a team of around 60 assistant U.S. attorneys and staff tasked with protecting the public, defending civil rights
and upholding the rule of law.
Just a month into the job, on Feb. 8, 2022, she announced the office was charging two for- mer state lawmakers with honest services fraud — in layman’s terms, they were accused of taking money in exchange for legislation and
Story by
KAREN IWAMOTO
Photo by
ANTHONY CONSILLIO
Law and order is front of mind for U.S. Attorney Clare Connors in her role as the state’s top federal prosecutor — but her true calling is public service.
During her tenure, Con- nors also secured convic- tions against prison guards for assaulting an inmate and attempting to cover it up; a businessman for defrauding the federal government of COVID-19 relief funds; and a former instructor for sexually exploiting a student.
political favors.
Former state Senate Ma-
But while Connors takes her role seriously — she sees herself as part of a tradition of leaders guiding an institu- tion with a deep history and a clear mission — she says she hadn’t set out to become an attorney, much less a prose- cutor.
jority Leader J. Kalani En- glish and former state Rep. Ty Cullen pleaded guilty and English was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison. At press time, Cullen — a sit- ting lawmaker when he was charged — was awaiting sen- tencing.
“I never watched L.A. Law or any of those legal shows,” she says. “In high school, I didn’t do debate. I did dra- matic interpretation.”
This case, and several other corruption incidents involving public servants, prompted the state Legisla- ture to create a Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct. Lawmakers passed several ethics-reform bills, and more are under consid- eration.
The Punahou School grad is the daughter of a former Catholic priest and a former Catholic nun — both served in the Maryknoll Missionary Society.
SEE PAGE 16
Connors (center) with first deputy commissioner of New York City Parks & Recreation Alan Moss (left) and NYC Parks & Recreation commissioner Henry J. Stern in 1997. PHOTO COURTESY CLARE CONNORS