HONOLULU -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Linda Lingle accused Democrats Thursday of violating the state's cybersquatting law by creating a Web site that uses her name.
At a news conference Thursday, Lingle also called on Democratic opponents Mazie Hirono and Matt Matsunaga to speak out against what she called an underground smear campaign.
Lingle and running mate Duke Aiona said a Web site entitled Linglefacts.com violates the state's cybersquatting law because it directs computer users to a Democratic Party-sponsored Web site critical of Lingle.
The site is mentioned in attack ads and linked to Matsunaga's campaign Web site.
Aiona said no legal action is planned to try and force the site's closure, but he and Lingle called on their Democratic opponents to speak out against what they called a clear violation
of the law.
Republicans pointed out that Matsunaga introduced a bill to outlaw cybersquatting. Hirono signed the bill into law as acting governor, according to GOP officials.
"If they wanted to be honest, they should put it in their own name," Lingle said. "(It's) an attempt to deceive the public."
"That's not true," director of Democratic Party of Hawaii's coordinated campaign Andy Winer said. "Her running mate, Judge Aiona, should know about the First Ammendment."
Winer said that the Web site is protected as political speech. He said Lingle's name for their Web site is within the law passed by the 2001 Legislature.
"It's spooky that someone who wants to be governor doesn't understand the First Ammendment," Winer said.
The GOP candidates also called on Hirono and Matsunaga to speak out against a smear campaign that is being conducted by underground, anonymous sources.
Lingle said she believes that Democrats are conducting the smear campaign but has no evidence.
"We don't need to resort to those tactics to beat them," Winer said.
Republicans said the smear tactics include false mailings, hate mail and even death threats.
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