Rod Tam is back

Oh, man. Rod Tam.He’s back, like one of those viruses that hang out at the base of the spine and flare up when defenses are down.

This time he’s infected a new body, the Hawaii Republican Party, whose defenses are so weak it practically swooned over Donald Trump and his virulent, racist vulgarities.

Compared with Trump, Tam is a small-time offender, but he is offensive nevertheless. His greatest hits were so outlandish they made national news under headings like “Weird News.”

Remember the bill to authorize naps and snacks for state workers? That was Rod Tam. As a state senator he introduced the bill, saying it would help state workers feel appreciated.

Remember the smelly-bus-rider bill? That was Rod Tam. In 2009 he introduced a measure at the City Council to punish riders who stunk up public transportation with a fine of up to $500 and six months in jail.

Oh, then there was the time he blithely used the “wetbacks” slur. That was in 2008, blazing an ignorant, bigoted trail by insulting Mexicans long before Trump was talking about building a wall.

“We don’t want any, uh, wetbacks, basically,” Tam said back then. “OK. We’ve been receiving (reports about) developers or contractors been bringing in wetbacks from New Mexico. Uh, Mexico. I’m sorry. Mexico. OK. Illegal aliens. And that’s a problem here, basically. We don’t want that type.”

Then there was the time he wanted to turn Koko Crater into a dump. After months of study and discussion of various sites, Tam shocked the rest of the City Council by suggesting a place that wasn’t on the list, is home to endangered plants and is geologically ill-suited for a long-term landfill.

After that came the meals. Lots of them, paid for with taxpayer money and documented with phony restaurant receipts fabricated to show he was talking city business. He’d take family members out to dinner and claim he was talking to constituents about their concerns. Then, when he turned in the paperwork to be reimbursed for the meals, he’d tweak up the tab and pocket the extra money.

Tam spent two days in jail for his slippery accounting and was also sentenced to 324 hours of community service. He made a forgettable run at mayor in 2010 and has been lurking like a virus waiting for an opportunity to resurface.

Though Hawaii Democrats never disavowed Tam, the head of the Hawaii Republican Party was quoted as saying they’re “thrilled” to have the convicted thief, proven liar and all-purpose goofball on their team. What’s worse? Not kicking him out or welcoming him in?

No, the worst would be forgetting how this crooked, petty man took our money and thought he was absolutely entitled to take his wife out for Valentine’s Day dinner and have us suckers pick up the tab.

He probably thinks we forgot all about that stuff, and that’s why he’s running for state Senate again.

Yeah, that’s Rod Tam, too.

-- Lee Cataluna