Governor’s campaign
wants apology
for smear

Lingle's camp tries to
retract their rumor accusation

By Mike Yuen
Star-Bulletin

The campaign of Republican gubernatorial candidate Linda Lingle has accepted Democratic Gov. Ben Cayetano's assertion that his camp is not behind the rumor that Lingle is a lesbian, which she denies.

"If the Cayetano campaign says it is not behind the spreading of these rumors, then we accept that -- period," Lingle campaign manager Bob Awana said yesterday.

"We feel that the public wants to know what each of the candidates is planning to do to create more jobs, to fix the economy and improve education. That's what is at stake in this election. That's where we all need to be focused."

This should put the matter to rest, Awana added. He has no regrets over the way the rumor surfaced and how it was handled, he said.

But Cayetano campaign co-chairwoman Ann Kobayashi insisted that the Lingle campaign can't just walk away from the matter, particularly since it had earlier claimed -- without any proof -- that the Cayetano camp orchestrated the rumor.

"Why didn't they accept our word before? What has changed?" asked Kobayashi. She demanded an apology, saying Lingle, Maui's mayor, and Awana "have been caught in a lie, and now they want the issue to go away."

Kobayashi added: "This shows the type of campaign they run. They charge something, smearing people, and then run. For me, the smear is still hanging over us."

Awana has repeatedly refused to disclose a memo, which he described as discussing Lingle's sexual orientation, that the Lingle campaign suspected was linked to the Cayetano camp.

The rambling, five-page document -- since obtained by journalists -- is unsigned.

Awana later expanded on the suspicions of the Lingle campaign and charged -- without proof -- that isle private investigator Steve Goodenow, a Cayetano campaign volunteer, is "searching for negatives" on Lingle and that the memo questioning Lingle's sexual orientation is being distributed "at the highest level of the Democratic Party."

Goodenow and state Democratic Party Chairman Walter Heen have insisted that's not true.

The flap caused Cayetano to brand Lingle "a cheap-shot artist."

The question of Lingle's sexual orientation surfaced publicly two weeks ago at a Lingle rally at Kalani High School when a man wearing a Lingle T-shirt asked her if she were gay.

Small-business group endorses Cayetano Gov. Ben Cayetano picked up the endorsement of a group of 15-20 small-business leaders today. Groups ranging from L&L Franchise to Samurai Shave Ice and Enoa Tours came together this morning to announce they were supporting Cayetano's re-election effort. "We want to make sure that small business does support Gov. Cayetano," Linda Lai, chairman of Griffing Swan and Lai Insurance Brokers, said. "Thanks to him, insurance premiums are down, and that has created competition in industry," she said. The group will campaign for Cayetano by speaking for the governor at business and community meetings, Lai said.