By MARK NIESSE
The Associated Press
Tuesday, December 4, 2007; 5:17 AM

HONOLULU -- After months of refusing to discuss her chief of staff's resignation, Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle said his blackmail over a relationship with a woman in the Philippines was strictly personal and did not involve any misuse of state resources.

Lingle, at a news conference Monday, also denied any knowledge of a reported federal investigation into the behavior of state officials or other members of official trade missions led by the governor.

Bob Awana, who has been Lingle's top aide since she was first elected in 2002 and her campaign chairman for the past three elections, was blackmailed for $35,000 over his relationship with the woman. He resigned in June after the blackmail was reported.

His blackmailer, Rajdatta Patkar, pleaded guilty and was sentenced Oct. 29 to a year in prison. Patkar had been extradited to Honolulu from Japan to face the federal charges after Awana reported the blackmail to authorities.

Patkar's defense attorney, Pamela Byrne, has said Awana arranged for his girlfriend and another woman to go on dates with Awana and trade delegates from Hawaii.

Lingle said she asked Awana if his contact with the woman occurred on official state trips and he said no.

"The issues surrounding Bob were because of something he did personally that had nothing to do with his role in government or his time in government or his use of any government resources," the Republican governor said.

"Bob was a victim of a crime. He was blackmailed, just as anyone here who's married and was online and had a relationship with someone would be subject to blackmail," Lingle said.

She said news organizations had forced Awana out of his job and spread rumors about federal investigations.

The Honolulu Advertiser, citing anonymous federal law enforcement sources, has reported that the blackmail case led to a federal investigation into the behavior of state officials and other members of the governor's trade missions to China, South Korea and the Philippines over the last three years.

The Associated Press has asked a federal judge to lift a gag order on e-mails between Awana and Patkar to see if the case involves government misconduct allegations. U.S. District Judge Michael Seabright said last week he would consider arguments over whether the e-mails should be kept secret.

Lingle accused the AP of seeking "salacious details" and reporting false information.

The AP has not used anonymous sources in its own reporting on the case, but has cited The Advertiser's reporting on the federal investigation.

Before Monday, Lingle's only direct comment on Awana came through a statement saying she and Awana "mutually concluded" he should resign. She declined interview requests, though some questions were handled by her staff.