HONOLULU -- A KITV 4 News investigation reveals Honolulu City Council Member Rod Tam has spent more than $26,000 in campaign funds on food and drinks over the last three years, during a time when he did not face re-election.

Tam is already in ethical trouble for spending thousands of dollars in city funds from his council allowance on meals for himself, his friends and family.

Tam was re-elected to the city council in the fall of 2006. But after the election, from 2007 through 2009, his campaign spent an average of $24 a day on food and beverages.

KITV 4 News reviewed his campaign spending reports and found 455 charges for food and drinks totalling $26,546 over the three-year period.

Tam's biggest restaurant bill: $6,167 for a campaign volunteer gathering in March of 2007 at Treetops Restaurant in Manoa, the year after he was re-elected.

He was also reimbursed for what he claims were three campaign meetings at Empress Restaurant in Chinatown with tabs of $841, $494 and $407.

Asked about his large food expenses in non-election years, Tam said, "This is campaign. This is the aloha spirit. And they want to see in terms of what kind of mannerisms you have, too. That's how people are. If I'm going to treat them properly or not."

His most popular eatery is Zippy's Restaurant on Vineyard Boulevard, where campaign records show he ate 101 times in the last three years. Tam's campaign donors picked up the tab for what he claims were "meetings with volunteers."

"I'm a grass roots person. I go out in the community. I meet on the basis of one or two people," Tam told reporters at City Hall Friday.

Tam's campaign meal expenses far exceed those of his fellow council members who were also re-elected in 2006. Tam's total of $26,546 is more than four times higher than Donovan Dela Cruz, whose campaign covered $6,192 worth of food and drinks in the last three years, when neither of them faced re-election.

Tam's meal expenses are more than five times those of Gary Okino, who spent $4,934 in that same period.

"Outside of doing my work here, you're in the public eye. You're campaigning constantly," Tam said, saying the meal expenses from his campaign were justified.

KITV was unable to reach officials at the state Campaign Spending Commission about this story, since their offices were closed Friday because of state budget cuts.

A City Ethics Commission investigation released Thursday found Tam submitted false receipts to be reimbursed from his council contingency allowance from 2006 to 2009.

Tam said Friday he has done nothing wrong.

"I admit there were math errors," Tam said.

Tam said the allegations might be politically motivated. But he did not say who he thought might have urged the Ethics Commission to start investigating his requests for reimbursement for expenses.

The ethics investigation said Tam improperly billed the city for more than $10,000 for meals, submitting false receipts, and claiming some meals were related to city business when they were actually to buy food for Tam, his business associates and his family.

Tam said Friday his family members are his constituents and he had meals with them to discuss their legitimate city concerns.

According to the investigation, Tam submitted an $88 receipt for a meal at the Kabuki Restaurant near City Hall supposedly with two state officials when a credit card receipt shows it was a Valentine's dinner with his wife.

"That was official business," Tam said.

The investigation found Tam billed the city $240 for a meal at the Empress Restaurant in Chinatown saying it was for a "Chinatown Crime Conference" when it was actually for a family banquet.

"I think some times as I said, accounting errors, mistakes in terms of receipts. I take responsibility for that. I have no problem with that," said Tam.

Tam say he has no intention of resigning from the council.

Councilman Charles Djou Thursday urged Tam to step down. “Rod Tam’s behavior, as chronicled by the Ethics Commission, is simply unacceptable. Tam has violated the public’s trust and he should resign from the City Council immediately," Djou said.

"I am not going to resign because I have been asked to stay on by many people," said Tam.

Council chairman Todd Apo Thursday stripped Tam of his chairmanship of the powerful Zoning Committee, and Tam has been removed from all of his committee assignments.

Tam says he will continue his plans to run for Honolulu Mayor if current Mayor Mufi Hannemann steps down as expected to run for governor.

City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle, who also plans to run for Honolulu Mayor, said Friday it would not be appropriate for his office to investigate Tam because of the "appearance of a conflict of interest," since both men are potential political opponents.

Carlisle said he tried to reach State Attorney General Mark Bennett Friday to see if Bennett's office would evaluate whether there should be a criminal probe of Tam. But Carlisle was unable to reach Bennett because some state offices were closed Friday due to budget cuts.

Tam is paid $52,000 a year for his city council job and he also collects a pension from the state, for the years he spent in the State House and Senate.

(KITV 4 News Reporter Denby Fawcett contributed to this story)