What we love in politics is the second chance.

Give us a tale of the sinner who is saved. Redemption is the story that hooks voters.

Currently up on the scales of redemption is Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi, who is under indictment, charged with two counts of second-degree theft, two counts of third-degree theft, three counts of tampering with a government record plus making a false statement under oath.

The charges stem from Kenoi’s allegedly inappropriate use of a county-issued credit card. At issue is whether Kenoi reimbursed the county for all his private charges and whether in particular he was charging alcohol to the county.

To be clear, Kenoi’s defense attorney Todd Eddins says, “The county is not out one penny. Mayor Kenoi has not enriched himself one penny.”

Last week a big chunk of Kenoi’s public-opinion armor that has protected the usually ebullient Democrat fell away in a pair of cellphone videos of Kenoi, who appeared mostly sloshed.

Jonathan Scheuer, a state land use commissioner, posted the videos on his Facebook page and then retracted them, saying “At age 47, I can still make bad decisions.”

The videos came from a pau hana meeting after the Hawaii Congress of Planning Officials Conference on Kauai.

Appearing with what looks like an adult beverage in hand, Kenoi is seen and heard praising Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho, in between mostly cursing.

According to the West Hawaii Today account of the tirade, Kenoi bellowed “Hey everybody! Everybody shut the f—- up!” The mayor followed that with a monologue partially lost in the ambient noise but containing the phrase “knock you out in front of everybody,” reported the paper.

Scheuer said on his Facebook page that “the videos may have given some people the wrong impression that all we do is drink and party at this conference,” adding that it was actually a hard-working, valuable meeting.

Part of the takeaway from last week’s happy hour fest, is that alcohol is already bound to come up during Kenoi’s trial. As the state prosecutors said during pretrial motions, Kenoi used his county credit card to purchase “exorbitant amounts of alcohol” during the time frame of the charges.

That caused Kenoi’s defense team to say essentially there is a little booze in all of government.

“Alcohol consumption among business and government officials indisputably serves the goal of developing closer and more meaningful relationships,” they wrote.

Kenoi has a great “up-by-the bootstraps” back story. His determination caused him to go from nearly flunking out of high school to graduating from law school and twice becoming the Big Island mayor. He was stubborn enough in 2014 to start and finish the Kona Ironman triathlon, which consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run.

He also has a healthy fistful of traffic citations, plus a 1989 conviction for promoting a detrimental drug, marijuana, and now charges of stealing from the county.

So for Kenoi, the argument can be made that this is certainly a politician who stands in need of redemption.

After last week’s candid camera, the question is not so much whether Kenoi deserves redemption, but whether or not he wants it.

Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach him at rborreca@staradvertiser.com.