President Joe Biden’s choice to serve as U.S. attorney for the District of Hawaii is an experienced prosecutor and Punahou alumna lauded by her peers for her intellect, work ethic and leadership.
State Attorney General Clare Connors was one of nine nominees announced Tuesday by Biden’s White House. Connors, who has served as attorney general since 2019, now starts the U.S. Senate confirmation process.
“AG Connors appreciates the honor conferred by President Biden’s nomination, and the opportunity to continue to serve the people of our State,” said Gary Yamashiroya, special assistant to the attorney general, in a statement to the Honolulu Star- Advertiser. “She is fully committed to serving as Attorney General pending the outcome of the confirmation process.”
Punahou President Michael Latham said the school is “very proud” of Connors’ nomination.
“An alumna of our school and current parent as well, Clare has built an outstanding record of service across our state. She is a great example for our students and we believe that she is ideally suited for this vital position of public trust,” said Latham in a statement to the Star-Advertiser. “We wish her the best on her well-deserved nomination.”
In a joint statement, U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono said, “Clare Connors is an excellent choice to serve as U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii. Clare’s broad experience, including as Hawaii’s current Attorney General, makes her an exceptionally well-qualified nominee to fill this important vacancy.”
Hirono and Schatz recommended Connors for the position, according to the statement.
“With her strong background in public service and her proven commitment to justice, we are confident she will serve the people of Hawaii well. We were proud to recommend her to the president, and we look forward to working with our colleagues to ensure a speedy confirmation process,” the senators said.
Connors’ current boss, colleagues and others praised her nomination Tuesday, touting her ability to lead law enforcement in her hometown and state. They described a relentless, detailed prosecutor who earned the respect, adoration and trust of fellow attorneys and people she worked with throughout the Judiciary and law enforcement community.
“Clare Connors has been an outstanding Attorney General for the State of Hawaii and a key advisor on my team,” said Gov. David Ige in a statement to the Star-Advertiser. “She will continue to serve as the state Attorney General during the federal confirmation process, which can be a lengthy one. During that time, we will continue working together for the people of the State of Hawaii.”
Retired Judge Edward Kubo, who was Connors’ supervisor when he served as U.S. attorney from 2001 to 2009, said Connors was hired to work as an assistant U.S. attorney because of her reputation for being a hard worker and a smart trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice.
“She was not only one of our best federal prosecutors, she was well liked and respected by everyone in the Court family. I cannot think of any other attorney who is more qualified and accomplished to be the next U.S. Attorney for our State,” Kubo told the Star-Advertiser. “AG Connors knows the concerns of our people and she has the talent and the skills to be the best U.S. Attorney Hawaii has ever seen. I wholeheartedly support her nomination to lead our State’s law enforcement community with her results driven focus.”
Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm and Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Florence Nakakuni both previously served as the U.S. attorney for the District of Hawaii and support Connors’ nomination.
Nakakuni was Hawaii’s U.S. attorney from Sept. 30, 2009, to March 10, 2017, and said Connors is exactly the kind of U.S. attorney that the office and Hawaii needs: someone who is committed and connected to the community.
“She can ‘hit the ground running’ — given her position as the State AG and her involvement these past 3 years with the law enforcement community in Hawaii which includes federal, state and local law enforcement,” said Nakakuni. “And she’s done a great job dealing with many issues — some distinctly local such as TMT; and Covid related issues which affect the country.”
Alm, whom President Bill Clinton picked to serve as U.S. attorney in 1994, said Connors’ experience as a federal prosecutor and her “excellent” leadership as attorney general will help her lead federal law enforcement in Hawaii.
“I look forward to working with her to protect public safety in Hawaii,” said Alm, who worked seven years as U.S. attorney, in a statement.
Before serving as Hawaii’s attorney general, Connors was a lawyer with Honolulu’s Davis Levin Livingston Opens in a new tab.
“Clare’s fierce intellect, powerful work ethic, and experience in law enforcement make her the perfect person to run the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Loretta Sheehan, a partner at Davis Levin Livingston who worked as an assistant U.S. attorney for 14 years. “Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Senate should hold hands on this nomination. I can’t imagine a better pick.”
In 2015 then-President Barack Obama nominated Connors to be a federal judge in Hawaii. She was to fill the vacancy on the U.S. District Court created by Chief Judge Susan Oki Mollway’s retirement. While unanimously approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee, her nomination became ensnared in party politics, and she was one of several Obama appointees who never received a vote before the full Senate.
If confirmed for the federal position, Connors would replace acting U.S. Attorney for Hawaii Judith Philips, who took over after Kenji Price resigned in February once the Biden administration took office.
Connors, 47, began her legal career in Hawaii clerking for federal District Judge David Ezra and was an assistant U.S. attorney in Hawaii from 2004 to 2011. She also worked as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division.
Connors received her law degree from Harvard Law School. She also holds two bachelor’s degrees from Yale College: one in ethics, politics and economics and another in international studies.
“These individuals were chosen for their devotion to enforcing the law, their professionalism, their experience and credentials in this field, their dedication to pursuing equal justice for all, and their commitment to the independence of the Department of Justice,” read a statement from the White House that accompanied the announcement of Connors’ nomination.
