Kessai Note

Kessai Hesa Note, born on 7 August 1950 in Ailinglaplap, is a Marshallese politician who served as President of the Marshall Islands from 2000 to 2008. First elected to the Nitijela in 1979, he is one of its longest-serving members. He held the portfolio of Minister of Internal Affairs from 1985 to 1986 and Minister of Transportation and Communications from 1986 to 1987, and he was Speaker of the Nitijela from 1988 until his election as president in 2000. He was the first commoner, rather than an Iroijlaplap or traditional chief, to be elected to the presidency. A member of the United Democratic Party, he was re-elected by parliament in January 2004 with 20 votes to Justin deBrum's 9, and was defeated in a parliamentary vote in January 2008 by Litokwa Tomeing, 18 votes to 15. He is of Japanese-Marshallese descent and later served as Minister of Justice from 2020 to 2022. In December 2023 the United States barred him from entry for accepting bribes.