Page 4 - Hawaii Island MidWeek - March 15, 2023

4 HAWAI‘I ISLAND MIDWEEK MARCH 15, 2023 COVER STORY
A
nors leads a team of around 60
s Hawai‘i’s chief federal law enforcement official, U.S. Attorney Clare Con-
assistant U.S. attorneys and staff tasked with protecting the
lic
vo public, defending civil rights Co
and upholding the rule of law.
Ce
Story by
KAREN IWAMOTO
Photo by
ANTHONY CONSILLIO
political favors.
Former state Senate Major-
“I never watched L.A. LawCit or any of those legal shows,”Re she says. “In high school, I didn’t do debate. I did dramat-ty, ic interpretation.” pic
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
lett her role seriously — she seesLe
herself as part of a tradition ofpr leaders guiding an institution with a deep history and a clear mission — she says she hadn’t set out to become an attorney,thr much less a prosecutor. co
ity Leader J. Kalani English and former state Rep. Ty Cul- len pleaded guilty and English was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison. At press time, Cullen — a sitting lawmaker when he was charged — was awaiting sentencing.
The Punahou School gradan is the daughter of a formeran Catholic priest and a formerdo Catholic nun — both servedbe in the Maryknoll Missionaryaw Society. —
During her tenure, the office 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.
Although they separately left the mission and eventu-an ally started a family together,wa they stayed with the churcha c — not because they wereha blind to its faults, she says,da but because they still believed
in it as a place they couldout worship, serve and advance“A positive change. Connors andgo her late father were lectors atyo St. Anthony of Padua Catho-ern
But while Connors takes
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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.
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Connors (center) with first deputy commissioner of New York City Parks & Di Recreation Alan Moss (left) and NYC Parks & Recreation commissioner Henry J. he Stern in 1997. PHOTO COURTESY CLARE CONNORS do
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