Ethics panel Former Democratic Gov. Ben Cayetano's use of administration officials last year to analyze contents of then-Republican gubernatorial candidate Linda Lingle's campaign brochure "raised serious concerns" under state law and "raised grave concerns" under the state ethics code, according to the state Ethics Commission.
criticizes Cayetano
Using state workers to analyze
Lingle's brochure raises concernBy Bruce Dunford
Associated Press"I wish to thank the Ethics Commission for their clear statement that government resources should not be utilized for blatant campaign purposes," Gov. Lingle said yesterday after reviewing the commission's report.
Last August, the state Republican Party filed a complaint with the commission, charging that Cayetano had used government employees and resources for "blatant political campaigning."
It said Cayetano ordered then-Tax Director Marie Okamura and possibly other Cabinet members to use state employees and resources to prepare an analysis of Lingle's campaign platform titled: "A new beginning for Hawaii."
Cayetano at the time defended his actions and later had his administration produce an analysis of the platforms of the other major gubernatorial candidates.
"My last major duty is to prepare the budget that is going to be submitted to the 2003 Legislature," he said at the time. "Ms. Lingle has seen fit to question the financial integrity of the state, the budget process and I think that it is important not only for me but for everyone else to understand what each candidate is going to propose in this very, very critical budget year."
His attorney made similar arguments during the commission's inquiry.
Cayetano could not be reached immediately for comment on the commission's opinion.
Soon after the GOP complaint, the Hawaii Democratic Party filed complaints against Lingle with the Maui County Board of Ethics and the state Campaign Spending Commission over a 1998 news release she issued as Maui County Mayor, criticizing Cayetano.
Lingle in February announced she had signed a settlement with the Campaign Spending Commission over that complaint, agreeing to pay $200 but admitting no wrongdoing. The Maui Board of Ethics dismissed the complaint.
The Ethics Commission's "informal advisory opinion" made public yesterday said state law prohibits the use of state resources for political campaign purposes.
The commission said: "Simply put, the commission believed that our system of government did not allow incumbents to use the resources of government in order to perpetuate themselves or to promote the candidates that they favored."
The commission found that the Cayetano administration's critique of Lingle's brochure was for a campaign purpose and that Lingle was not treated in the same manner as other gubernatorial candidates.
The commission's four members deadlocked on whether to proceed against Cayetano in a public trial-like hearing and instead agreed to issue the informal advisory opinion.
Hawaii State Ethics Commission