Bob Awana, Gov. Linda Lingle's former chief of staff, improperly used his government e-mail to help raise money for a President Bush campaign fundraiser in Hawai'i in October 2003.

Government e-mail records show Awana coordinated a $10,000 table for Guam Gov. Felix Camacho and several Guam business executives for Bush's fundraiser at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. State ethics law prohibits the use of state time or resources for private business purposes, including political fundraising.

"We've said forever that state resources can't be used for campaign purposes," said Dan Mollway, executive director of the state Ethics Commission, speaking hypothetically since he cannot comment on specific ethics cases unless they are resolved by the commission.

Asked yesterday whether fundraising for Bush was a proper use of government e-mail, Lenny Klompus, Lingle's senior adviser for communications, said: "We have a policy in place: You just don't use government computers for anything but government use. So to answer your question, 'no.' "

Awana, who also had served as Lingle's campaign manager, resigned last month after disclosing he was the subject of an extortion plot and was interviewed by federal investigators as part of a public corruption probe in Saipan. He could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Bush made a brief stop in Hawai'i in October 2003, visiting the USS Arizona Memorial and Pearl Harbor Elementary School with his wife, first lady Laura Bush, and meeting with leaders of Pacific islands on trade and security. The president also appeared at a reception at the Kahala Hotel & Resort and spoke at the fundraiser at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

FUNDRAISER PROTOCOL

Miriam Hellreich, a Hawai'i Republican fundraiser, said the reception and fundraiser were managed by the Bush campaign but local Republicans helped sell tickets and tables.

Access to political candidates at many fundraisers is based on the amount of money donors contribute. In e-mail between Awana and Camacho's executive assistant, Awana spelled out the protocol for the fundraiser and what the Republican governor and his guests could expect for a $10,000 table.

Awana wrote: "Attire is aloha shirt, however, Governor Camacho may want to wear a suit. I've asked the committee chair to position Governor Camacho's table in a good location given his position.

"And finally, with the $10,000 table comes a photo opportunity with the president. You are entitled to have two people from the table take one photo with the president. If Governor Camacho wants to have just himself, that's okay also."

Bush recognized Camacho, along with other dignitaries, in his remarks that evening.

The Ethics Commission has dealt with several cases over the past few years related to the improper use of state resources under the fair treatment section of the ethics code. The section prohibits lawmakers and state employees from using their offices to grant unwarranted privileges to themselves or others.

The commission ruled in 2004 that Lingle violated the law by using state resources on her education advisory committee after it became a nonprofit corporation. Awana, who directed the nonprofit, calculated how much state resources were used and, at Lingle's request, paid $29,843 back to the state.

OTHER ETHICS CASES

In 2005, an ethics complaint was filed against state House Speaker Calvin Say, D-20th (St. Louis Heights, Palolo Valley, Wilhelmina Rise), over an e-mail survey that asked House Democrats to identify legislation that might be helpful to their re-election. Say said it was inappropriate to use the word "re-election" in the e-mail but said the survey was not used for campaign purposes. The complaint did not advance.

The commission in 2005 found that an unnamed elected official improperly included a campaign Web site address on material sent from the official's office. The official repaid the state.

The commission dismissed complaints in 2005 against two Democratic lawmakers who received e-mails from the Hawai'i State Teachers Association about how an education-reform law could help Democrats politically in the 2004 elections.

Mollway said the commission's Web site has memos reminding lawmakers and state employees of the restrictions on private fundraising and campaign activity with state resources.

Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com.