ʻAukai Freitas

**Eric ʻAukai Freitas** (born 7 November 1976) is a Hawaiian politician and lawyer who has served as minister of justice in the Kanazawa ministry since 2018. A member of the Hawaii National Party, he has additionally represented Oahu in the House of Representatives since 2014.

Born in Honolulu, Freitas graduated from Kamehameha Schools – Kapālama in 1994. After graduating, he enrolled in the University of Hawaii, West Oahu, receiving a degree in criminal justice in 1998. Freitas subsequently completed police training and became a police officer for the Honolulu Police Department. He later returned to school in 2005, and received a law degree from the University of Hawaii School of Law in 2008. Freitas left his police career, and instead became a criminal defense attorney, working out of the Honolulu Office of the Public Defender.

Freitas entered politics in 2014, when he was included on the party list in Oahu for the Hawaiian National Party. After the party won enough seats in the 2014 election, Freitas was elected to the parliament. Upon taking his seat in parliament, Freitas focused his legislating on criminal justice and crime issues. Following the 2018 election, Freitas was nominated by Kenzie Kanazawa to serve as minister of justice in her cabinet, later being appointed by Queen Keʻalohilani.

## Early life and education

Freitas was born on 7 November 1976 in Honolulu to parents Eric (born 1950) and Leanne Freitas (née *Gallagher*; born 1952). Both of his parents have ancestry from California; his father is of mixed Irish, Native Hawaiian, and Portuguese descent, while his mother is of English, Filipino, Irish, and Spanish descent. Eric worked in construction, while Leanne was a third grade teacher. Since infancy, Freitas has been referred to by his middle name *ʻAukai*, in order to distinguish himself from his father. He was raised in the Kaimuki neighborhood of Honolulu in a modest home, and is the younger of two children; his elder sister is Jeanette (born 1975).

Freitas began his education in 1981, attending a local, public elementary school in Honolulu. In 1987, he was accepted as a student at Kamehameha Schools – Kapālama, due to his Native Hawaiian ancestry. While at the school, he was classmates and friends with fellow politician Kai Marcus. He began high school in 1989, where he performed with the school band as a percussionist. Freitas graduated in 1994, and afterwards enrolled in the University of Hawaii, West Oahu, receiving a degree in criminal justice in 1998. In 2005, he enrolled in the University of Hawaii School of Law, receiving his law degree in 2008.

## Early career

After graduating with his bachelor's degree in 1998, Freitas enrolled in the police academy of the Honolulu Police Department. He later completed the program in December 1998, and became an officer with the Honolulu Police Department. While he initially aspired to become a police detective, Freitas ultimately decided that he did not wish to pursue that line of work.

After becoming dissatisfied with his work as a police officer, Freitas began law school in 2005. He continued his work as a police officer while a law student, and enrolled in night classes. After graduating from law school in 2008, Freitas became licensed to practice law in Hawaii, and left the police force. He became a criminal defense attorney at the Honolulu Office of the Public Defender, where he worked as a public defender for Hawaiians accused of crimes who cannot afford a lawyer of their own. In 2010, he left his career as a public defender to work as a private criminal defense attorney at a law firm. He left his law career in order to enter politics in 2014.

## Political career

### Early politics

Freitas began his career in politics in 2014, after he was selected by the Hawaii National Party to be a candidate on their party list in Oahu for the 2014 general election. He was ultimately elected to the House of Representatives, and took his seat on 14 July 2014. Upon taking his seat in parliament, Freitas began to focus on issues regarding criminal justice and crime.

### Justice minister

In the aftermath of the 2018 election, the Hawaii National Party lost their parliamentary majority. Due to the loss, David Chang resigned as party leader and a leadership election was called. Freitas endorsed the candidacy of Jack Mori, who went on to be defeated by Kenzie Kanazawa.

Following the conclusion of the leadership election, Kanazawa negotiated a coalition agreement with the Hui Pū ʻAna political party. The Hawaiian media reported that Freitas was in talks with Kanazawa to be nominated to a cabinet position, despite him choosing to not endorse her in the leadership election. He was later nominated by Kanazawa to serve as minister of justice in her cabinet. He was appointed by Queen Keʻalohilani on 18 September 2018. As justice minister, Freitas was responsible for overseeing the Hawaiian legal system, police departments, administration of justice, court system, public prosecutors and defenders, and prison system.

Freitas resigned from the cabinet on 5 January 2021, following an incident where a Honolulu police officer killed two innocent teenagers with his vehicle. Freitas took responsibility for the incident, citing "improper training and protocol," and was replaced by Betty Akizuki.

## Personal life

Freitas began a relationship with Hawaiian jewelry designer Katrina Lewis in 1996; they eloped one year later, but separated months afterwards. Lewis officially filed for divorce in 2000, and the divorce was finalized the following year. Freitas later began a relationship with Danish tourism executive Anja Larsen in 2003. They became engaged in 2005, and later married the following year.

Freitas and Larsen have two children together: Julie (born 2010) and Christian (born 2013). The family resides in the Palolo neighborhood of Honolulu. Freitas speaks both English and Spanish, while he understands "some" Hawaiian and Danish.