Full Name: Anosh Hanook Yaqoob

Name on Ballot: Anosh H. Yaqoob

Age: 32

Office: Honolulu City Prosecutor

Email Address: anoshhyaqoob@gmail.com

Current Job: Attorney in private practice

Place of birth: Honolulu

Campaign website: none

Job history past 10 years:

Graduated law school in 2008 — private practice since 2009.

Ever run for public office? If so, when? Outcome?

I ran very briefly in 2010 for state House from District 32, Salt Lake/Aliamanu/Moanalua. I ultimately withdrew from the race, for work-related reasons (I had too much occurring with my clients’ cases at the time).

Other civic experience or community service?

Anything else you’d like voters to know about you?

I am not an insider. I am not coming from machine party politics. I think voters should get the chance to vote for someone new, someone different. Someone who is not from within the local machine party. Voters might be looking for someone new to vote for this November.

What makes you qualified to be prosecutor?

In law school, I clerked for the Maui County prosecutor’s office. I have been practicing for eight years, representing clients in District, Circuit and the Appellate courts.

Additionally, what exactly does it mean to be “qualified”? It is a question I hope to raise.

What are your top five priorities for the prosecutor’s office?

Establish a coherent hiring protocol.

Help to make it less insider-ish.

Repair the public image of the office, help it to be seen as less corrupt.

What is your one big idea?

I think the sit-lie ban is unconstitutional. It is currently being litigated, but if elected, I would not prosecute under such a law, because I genuinely believe as a court officer, as an attorney, as a professional, that ultimately it is an unconstitutional law.

Why are you running for prosecutor?

I don’t think Keith Kaneshiro should get another term. I don’t think he deserves a free pass, and I think voters should have the chance to vote for someone else, something different, someone different. Someone who is not an insider. So many incumbents slide into office unopposed.