WASHINGTON (AP) – World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz on Monday decried what he called a “smear campaign” against him and told a special bank panel that he acted in good faith in securing a promotion and pay raise for his girlfriend. He reiterated that he had no plans to resign, and President Bush gave him a fresh endorsement.

In a prepared statement to the panel, Mr. Wolfowitz said the institution’s ethics committee had access to all the details surrounding the arrangement involving bank employee Shaha Riza, “if they wanted it.”

Mr. Wolfowitz told the panel that: “I acted transparently, sought and received guidance from the bank’s ethics committee and conducted myself in good faith in accordance with that guidance.”

The special bank panel is investigating Wolfowitz’ handling of the 2005 promotion of bank employee Ms. Riza, who was scheduled to appear later in the day.

The controversy has prompted calls for the resignation of Mr. Wolfowitz, an architect of the Iraq war in his preceding Pentagon job. The bank’s 24-member board is expected to make a decision in the case this week.

Mr. Bush, meanwhile, said Mr. Wolfowitz “ought to stay. He ought to be given a fair hearing.”