Gov. Linda Lingle, responding to the uproar over her appointment of Bev Harbin to the state Legislature, said yesterday that potential appointees would now have to promise in writing they are not withholding any information that might embarrass her administration.

Lingle has asked Harbin, a small-business advocate, to resign for not disclosing $125,000 in state tax debts or misdemeanor criminal convictions for writing bad checks. That background never came up during interviews before her appointment.

Harbin, D-28th (Iwilei, Downtown, Makiki), has refused to resign.

The governor's staff had conducted a criminal background check on Harbin but did not discover the tax debts or the convictions. Lingle's chief of staff, Bob Awana, said he asked Harbin after news reports about her tax debts last week if there was anything else in her past and she did not mention the convictions.

"She kept saying there was nothing," Awana told reporters.

Lingle said yesterday she had not spoken to Harbin since the appointment. She again said she was disappointed Harbin had not disclosed more about her past but said there was little more she could do other than ask her to resign. "I've done everything I'm allowed to do under the law," the governor said.

The Republican governor, who chose Harbin over four candidates recommended by Democrats to replace former Rep. Ken Hiraki, also addressed questions about whether the appointment was political and intended to help Republicans capture the district in 2006.

"I thought Bev would be a great representative for the district because she had spent so much time there on issues that were important in the district. She also had the opportunity to represent small-business interests because she had advocated for them on so many occasions," Lingle said.

"Her positions on some key issues were in alignment with mine as it related to workers' comp reform, unemployment insurance, tax reduction, and so I felt she was the right person and I was quite surprised, as I've said, to find out these things about her background."

Asked whether Harbin could now effectively represent the district, Lingle replied: "I don't think she can be effective in the Legislature. That's why I asked her to resign."

Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com.