Kenji Price Nominated for U.S. Attorney in Hawaii

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Feb. 16 announced five nominees for U.S. attorney, including Kenji Price in the District of Hawaii.

Kenji Price

Price is currently the interim U.S. attorney in that district. Prior to this position, he was a director at Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing, where his practice focused on white-collar criminal defense and commercial litigation. Prior to joining that firm, Price was a partner and of counsel at Carlsmith Ball LLP in Honolulu.

Before that, Price served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of New York, where he prosecuted a variety of cases, including domestic and international narcotics trafficking. He clerked for Judge Kent A. Jordan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and Judge Robert B. Kugler of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

He completed his undergraduate studies at Gonzaga University, and earned a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he served as editor-in-chief of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review.

Price, who grew up in Hawaii, also served as an officer in the U.S. Army for approximately four years, during which time he served as a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment and the 173rd Airborne Brigade.

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said in a statement, “Kenji Price is an excellent choice to serve as the U.S. attorney for the District of Hawaii, and I look forward to having him serve in that role. Kenji has previous experience as an assistant U.S. attorney and in private practice in Hawaii, and he has also served with distinction as a U.S. Army Ranger. Additionally, as a graduate of Mililani High School, Kenji has a keen understanding of our community, which will serve him well in this position.”

Price’s became interim U.S. attorney effective Jan. 5. Upon Price’s appointment by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Acting U.S. Attorney Elliot Enoki resumed his role as first assistant U.S. attorney.

“Kenji Price is a former Army Ranger with two Bronze Stars, and a former federal prosecutor who worked organized crime, public corruption, and international drug trafficking cases — including against the Sinaloa Cartel,” Sessions said at the time. “He will bring this outstanding background to the job of interim U.S. attorney for Hawaii. I am confident he will excel in this role as he has in every other.”