I'll leave others to discuss the actual story but there's a learning moment from this that I noticed at the time of his initial denials. Sam Adams is incapable of discussing anything without bragging about his accomplishments in office. If you say, "Looks like rain", Sam will agree and then start listing things he's done with the Water Bureau building, etc...That's just an example.
So when it was time to lie about this he couldn't help himself. He didn't just deny it - he started bragging about mentoring the young man and how he could have used more mentoring help when he was a troubled young gay person just growing up.
Do you see what this means? This guy is such an egomaniacal clown that he can't even leave a BS cover story alone without turning it into a bragging moment.
Classic.

The WW website is having problems. Could you shed a bit more light on the story?

Scam Adams strikes again. What a sleaze indeed! Time for a recall before Portland goes under.

Geez what a surprise. Especially after that long-winded affirmative defense he gave after Ball's comments.

To paraphrase:

"The more he talked of his honor, the faster I counted my silverware."

PS - Randy's too much of an egomaniac to feel shame for anything.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/mayor_sam_adams_on_monday.html

Taking advantage of a vulnerable 17 year old that he was mentoring. What a creep.

At least it didn't involve a cigar.

http://www.myspace.com/ueabsille

complete with risque pictures.

You don't suppose blackmail is the reason Sam is so gungh-ho on shoving streetcars up the *** of every Portland neighborhood?

(Like some suspect was done to Neal to plague us with light rail)

Or the reason he was so dedicated to saving the tram?

That's the real problem with these little secrets - they provide fodder for blackmail that can give us bad policy.

Thanks
JK

JK,

Using the phrase "shoving streetcars up the ***" comes off as a touch homophobic. I doubt you'd use that phrase if Sam were straight.

Regarding the substance of your theory, do you have evidence that Mr. Breedlove is an agent of the pro-streetcar lobby?

Makes the smear campaign accusations in 2007 look a little different. Goldschmidt legacy anew? Or living on?http://www.blueoregon.com/2007/09/sam-adams-targe.html

Sorry about the graphic language folks.

I was getting a wee bit excited by all the confusing images in my head.

it will be interesting to see how this is spun-out by the hipster class around these parts..oh well, we need something to occupy our minds during these slack times.

So Sam are you going to follow in the steps of Mark Foley and resign?

It seems if texting inappropriate comments is a terrible thing, acting on them should be?

Na, what an I thinking !

All will be forgiven in Portland.

I just saw a clip on KGW of Sam Adams talking about this back then. It's so self-righteous. I mean Nelson Mandela didn't have his rights violated more than Sam from his tone and he's so quick to play the gay card saying this smear feeds into the worst stereotypes about gays not being able to be around young people.
Oh, the injustice of it all! Oh, the speed with which Sam uses the very real suffering and discrimination that gay people have to endure, to try and save his campaign.
The gay community must be thrilled, once they get back out from under the bus.

What may become one of many sad points about this is the possible cover up by the Oregonian. Luckily Nigel Jacquiss proceeded in uncovering at minimum Adam's lie.

When Nigel confronted the mayor about what WW knew before the story ran, I am sure the Oregonian found out that WW was going to run the story even without Sam's acknowledgment of the lie. Then the O decided they better not have another Goldy fiasco-but too late.

The O contributed to the cover up because Griffin knew of the lie before the election occurred. At least the cover up isn't as long as the 25 year Goldy cover up by the O. But it seriously affected the local elections this last fall.

I take this seriously and not something to do with someone's sexual proclivity at this point unless it's an underage affair.

Sam, in the role of mentor, may have seriously violated the public trust. In addition, if news reports are true he may have lied following an affair with an intern.

Interns are particularly vulnerable because they are not only young in many cases, but also inexperienced in life matters. They often believe that declining sexual advances could jeopardize their dreams of success or make them outcasts. They become the unwitting prey.

Straight or gay, it makes little difference to anyone. Liars and/or people who take advantage of youngsters cannot serve as honest and credible public servants. If any of this is actually true then the mayor needs to resign now, not tomorrow. Now. Right now.

This is precisely why the Boy Scouts of America prohibit homosexuals from their organization.

Do we really want another lying pedophile for mayor of Portland?

He should resign immediately.

I don't think this is a matter that can be dismissed by saying it's just a relationship between consenting adults.

According to Jim Redden's article in today's online Portland Tribune, Adams asked Breedlove to lie about their relationship after the rumors surfaced.

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=123241686008807100

And, according to an Oregonian article by Anna Griffin in January 2007, Adams slimed Bob Ball after he raised concerns about the relationship.

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=123241686008807100

Who can resist a little 17 year old tail?

He's just following in Grandpa Goldie's footsteps. It's practically a rite of passage for young hip Portland Mayors. Then President Bubba showed us to you can retreat from the Big Lie and still keep your elected office. Game over.

Gotta feel sorry for Vera's intern, though.

Who can resist a little 17 year old tail?

This kind of spew will make the hipster spin look good.

"Spew?"

Eeewwwwww!

HMLA267,

Way to generalize Sam's actions to all gays. Thanks. I'm sure when the last mayoral sex scandal broke, you adopted the belief that middle-aged straight men should be banned from employing the babysitting services of underage girls.

"Using the phrase "shoving streetcars up the ***" comes off as a touch homophobic. I doubt you'd use that phrase if Sam were straight."

You find what you look for......

"You find what you look for......"

And when you bury your head in the sand, you find nothing...

How would we react to this if it was a 17 year old female he was "mentoring"? Would we be calling it a crime, then?

It sounds like exploitation to me (experience, status, power). And kinda dirty, ya know?

I didn't say all homosexuals are lying pedophiles. But there are instances wherein the probability for misconduct is too great to ignore.

Human nature, political power, and sexual attraction are a bad mix. I wouldn't want a male Girl Scout leader for the same reason.

The worst thing about this, other than the potential for criminal conduct, is the fact that Sam lied on numerous occasions about the matter.

If he lied about the relationship, it is reasonable to believe Sam lied about when the sex was initialed.

BTW, I don't give a damn about the fact Sam is gay - I care that he had a relationship with someone that was underage, then lied about it, and asked others to lie about it.

He should resign immediately.

When a grown man mentors a 17 yr old kid, a minor, and has sex with the kid, it's just wrong. He should resign.

HMLA267,

I assume then that you think the Boy Scouts should change their current policy so that only lesbian women are allowed to serve as adult leaders.

1. Character issues; is Sam setting a good example for Portland?

2. All politicians lie; when will voters start remembering that? I need a voters guide to tell me when it is OK to lie, and when it is not.

3. Not a gay issue, or even a sex issue, except that most companies and offices have a non-fraternization policy. Why? To prevent potential harassment claims should the relationship sour.

4. A distraction, as others point out. Prevents progress in the true work that needs to be done in Portland.

5. Lowers the bar for acceptable behavior. Just imagine if he had tapped his foot in an airport restroom, or simply sent some email to congressional pages.

Sam is supposed to be on Ch 8 KGW news at 11pm tonight. Nigel was on during the 7pm news program.

A forty something taking sexual advantage of a teenager (and I'm still not clear if Breedlove says he was 17 or 18) is sleazy. I don't care if it's a heterosexual relationship or a homosexual relationship. It's still sleazy.

But this is greatly disturbing on many levels.

Bob Ball was a serious contender in the mayor's race early on, and his raising the allegations knocked him out of the race.

What would have happened if this story had broke before the primary? I'd say it would have put Sho Dozono in quite a different light.

Nigel makes another important point. Why was Amy Ruiz, a 28 year old reporter from the Portland Mercury, who had worked on this story, given a high level job by Adams in a field in which she has absolutely no background or credentials? I know Amy and I like her. But she is 28 years old and she has done nothing but journalism previously. Sam has said he wanted Portland to be the "greenest" city in the world. If that's the case, wouldn't you want to pick the absolutely best qualified candidate to head your "sustainability" office. This part smacks of payoff.

Last night I just finished writing my column for February's Brainstorm NW magazine. In it I talked about Adams fulfilling the Goldschmidt-Katz legacy.

It never occurred to me that he would be fulfilling the sexual component of the Goldschmidt legacy, but apparently he has.

I just re-read Adams statement. He insists that he waited until Beau was 18.

I don't believe it for a minute.

One thing I am is a man. When a man starts thinking with the other part of his anatomy, reason flies out the window.

If you had hot pants for someone three month before their eighteenth birthday would you be able to say "Honey, I really want to have sex with you, but we have to wait until your eighteenth birthday".

If you believe that is likely than I have some beachfront property I'd like to talk to you about...

It's not the sexual escapades that bother us. It's the way Adams and the other senior members of cityhall have been running up the city's credit card and debt levels for the last decade or more. Portlanders are complacent just as new homebuyers were during the housing bubble. Money is easy. Just put it on the card. Add more chrome and gold to the pearly gates of downtown Portland where the city fathers sit and pass out special favors. Never mind each Portlander now indirectly owes over $9,000 in city and local government debt.

"I just re-read Adams statement. He insists that he waited until Beau was 18.

I don't believe it for a minute."

There is just no fact to make us conclude that he had sex with a 17 year old. It's more probable that he waited until the guy was 18. Felony convictions and mandatory sex offender registration are pretty strong incentives to obey the law, and I think Adams, a guy with a clean record, would respect that boundary.

As I see it Sam lied about having sex with an 18 year old.

That is one thing, but has anyone ever asked if Sam gave his 18 year old boyfriend alcohol while they were together?

Sherwood, re Willamette Week's servers: We did move and upgrade our server recently, which may actually have contributed to the broken connections and slooowdowns after we broke the story on WWeek today. Sorry about that.

WWeek.com should be zippy again now. Thanks for reading.

http://wweek.com/editorial/3510/12093/

I was ready to recall him BEFORE this. Now I'm extra double super ready. Let us know of any organized effort. I'm in!

Our prior coverage of this sordid tale is here.

Gay or straight is not be an issue here.

That said, as much as I hate to trot it out, it isn't about the sex, its the cover up.

Its what angered the right during the impeachment of President Clinton. This is different. The Clinton case involved a grown woman and a grown man.

Yes, there is no proof of illicit activity, and frankly, I really don't want to know the nitty gritty. I do question the judgment of a man my age chasing teenagers at work. If it were hetero it would still be for lack of a better word, icky.

Lump it together with the mayor's current track record for decisions he's made, it makes me even more convinced he's gotta go.

But he won't step down, because he believes he is too important and above morality (again propriety, not his orientation) and recalls simply do not work in this town. I'll sign petitions just like I did before, but the Adams Machine will weather this storm, and the next one, and the next one. Where did I put my Ambien?

Maybe he could find a nice job for Nigel Jaquiss.

I feel profoundly disappointed. I spent a lot of time when the original story broke lamenting how difficult it can be for gays to mentor younger gays and really applauded Sam's refusal to give into that sort of homophobia. I feel betrayed. It's the lying and his willingness to act like the other guy was such a dirt bag that really irks me.

I want him out of office. Recall people.

From a November 2007 WW:

Leonard confirms that Ball came to him in early August but says Adams convinced him that his association with Breedlove was innocent.

Leonard, who says until this week he considered Ball a close friend, now accuses him of trying to smear Adams. "This is one of the most vile things I’ve ever seen happen in politics," says Leonard. "At worst Sam is guilty of not recognizing that the cynics of the world would mischaracterize what he’s done."

Today Fireman Randy says this is nobody else's business, and they're only picking on Adams because he's gay. Talk about missing the point. Heaven help this city.

The WW story paints a sad portrait of how the Mayor Adams handled this whole situation.....yuck

Abs I was ready to recall him BEFORE this. Now I'm extra double super ready. Let us know of any organized effort. I'm in!
JK: Bad news, Sam outsmarted us again. We can’t do a recall until he has been in office for SIX MONTHS. By that time this will he forgotten and he will be well on his way to shoving streetcars up every main street in town. (can I say that?)

This is from the city auditor’s web site:

City officials are not subject to recall until they have actually held office for six months of their current term

Per ORS 249.870, the number of active registered voters' signatures required to place a recall on the ballot is 15% of the total number of votes cast in the City for all candidates for Governor at the last election. Until 2006, this number is 29,788 (15% of the 198,586 City voters who cast votes for Governor in November 2002.)

From: portlandonline.com/auditor/index.cfm?c=27131&a=4909

Thanks
JK

Is recall possible? Seriously, how does it get started?

Gay or straight, is not the issue.
This is just creepy and not appropriate behavior for any one.
I hope he resigns,but he probably won't, he's such an egomaniac.

I think the most pompous line from Sam Adams on all this, was back in 2007 when he wrote, "I didn’t get into public life to allow my instinct to help others to be snuffed out by fear of sleazy misrepresentations or political manipulation.”

Sam, how typical of you to try and use this situation - once again - to point out how wonderful you are. If only Mother Theresa had felt more of an instinct to help others.

And these sleazy misrepresentations and political manipulations that you have to endure? I think you owe yourself a great big apology for putting yourself through all that.

City officials are not subject to recall until they have actually held office for six months of their current term
Per ORS 249.870, the number of active registered voters' signatures required to place a recall on the ballot is 15% of the total number of votes cast in the City for all candidates for Governor at the last election. Until 2006, this number is 29,788 (15% of the 198,586 City voters who cast votes for Governor in November 2002.)

From: portlandonline.com/auditor/index.cfm?c=27131&a=4909

That's horrible news.

Maybe we, of the greenest city in the world, can recycle the Bush countdown clocks. We can just reset them for 6 months from Adam's inauguration.

Seriously though, all of Adam's apologies, phoned in from DC, are OFFENSIVE given his attempt to use the media cloud of Obama's inauguration to come (supposedly) clean. So despicable.

Thanks
JK

Sam had a sexual relationship with this intern for several months.

Did he have sex even once with his intern while on the clock while working for Vera Katz?

Resign.

Take Randy Leonard with you.

And Mark Weiner.

And any scumbag that uses Mark Weiner to get elected and/or cover up their lies.

The Legislature is in session.

One of the powers we have it to amend our laws.

Is there a State Rep. out there that would submit a bill to amend ORS 249.870 in a way that would pass?

Then again, why would there not be an investigation by the state to see if any ethic codes were violated or laws broken? Perhaps an investigation is something that should happen to maintain the integrity of our local government.

I'm an attorney and I would like to be involved in a recall, if not lead such a thing. If there is a group already starting it, I'd love to know. Otherwise, I'd like to get a group together to work with me on it.

Anyone willing to help out?

Erin

well, if this dosn't kill the convention center hotel.....

You have to love this one...lol

You voted for him Portland!!! lol

Live with it.

Remember you get what you wish for...

“I didn’t get into public life to allow my instinct to help others to be snuffed out by fear of sleazy misrepresentations or political manipulation.” Well no of course not, he is into the public life for the perks. SAMSAN***MAN

in⋅teg⋅ri⋅ty
1. adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.

Why is this character trait so hard to come by in our elected leadership these days?

Perhaps an investigation is something that should happen to maintain the integrity of our local government.

I really doubt that would happen. Not in Oregon's political climate. Unless of course, he was a Republican.

Top Ten Donors:

$29,413 Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund (federal PAC)
$22,500 Greg Eddie
$15,595 Service Employee International Union Local 49
$7,647 AFSCME, Local 189
$5,192 Water Avenue Properties, LLC
$4,963 Friends of Randy Leonard
$4,650 North, Inc.
$3,000 Oregon League of Conservation Voters PAC
$2,650 Blitz Bar
$2,408 SEIU Oregon State Council

Should one of Sam's sponsors ask him to resign?

We need to step up and start a movement to recall the mayor for this blatant violation fo the public's trust.

Email me at recall@recallsamadams.com if you support a recall and if you're willing to help.

I want to commend Beau Breedlove for having the courage and the decency to apologize to Bob Ball, in person no less.

It is not too early to start recalling Leonard, he's way beyond the 6 months in- office requirement. He's nearly as despicable as Adams by contributing to Adam's lying.

Ball has grounds for legal action against Leonard, besides Adams.

Breedlove, of course, has several legal venues besides suing Adams/City for the internship exploitation.

It should be an interesting beginning for Sam's administration that might make it to the six months period when he'll be recalled if he hasn't resigned by then.

I don't feel the outrage and hate. For two 'reasons.'

One, nothing's been called illegal. The age separation might or might not be a concern -- I've seen 'farthers apart' that worked, (maybe Mr. & Mrs. Kucinich), and 'closers together' that didn't work. In general there's too much variation to say anything in general -- life is lived on a case-by-case basis. Except in the case of being illegal, and there intervention is reasonable ... somewhat.

I don't sense that bedroom performance too much affects work performance adversely, nor does one part have zero affect on the rest. So, somewhere in between 'too much' and 'none' is an individual (case-by-case) issue. I don't sense that l'affaire proves Sam is incompetent to be Mayor, nor is he a threat or danger to harm the City or Portlanders. (However, fiduciary irresponsibility is such a threat or danger.) I suppose I mainly agree with Randy -- I'm fairly disinterested in sexploits 'news' unless it's my spouse's.

It should sell a lot of newspapers, though, and I'm glad that Nigel gets reporter's credit, (since I like him), and The O gets caught with its rants up and its pants down, (since I'm disgusted with 'them'). I hope TV wallows in it so deep that it drags enough mud on the screen to cause black-out ... but I haven't seen any of it and I'm not tuning in to check on this.

As I read the outrage and tantrums, (here), the shrieks sound like they're in three different categories of pained expression: Distaste that it's gays; aghast that it's non-conservatives; envy that it's co-workers a generation apart getting it on some, (from some who are not getting it on any). Again, as far as I know, no law has been broken. Just, it ain't my idea of action; I prefer my style -- which might gross out others.

The lying and cover-up parts are worrisome, although (again) it wasn't covering-up a crime. And it wasn't trumpeting the lie and cover-up -- a reporter had to seek to find it and ask to hear it.

Yet confession, and apology, and remorse, very much eases the worry. When was the last time we ever heard a cover-up liar confess to covering-up and lying, (let alone apologizing for it)? Even a minced small confession from 3ooo miles away? Never! That's when. Going just based on such candor, and seriousness, I'm okay with leaving my judgment suspended and following along to see how things play out.

Number two, the other 'reason' I don't feel the hate: By comparison. To worse things I reserve hate for. There is too much, too intolerably much, that goes on that is illegal. Pointblank illegal evil awful. Atrocities, massacres, war crimes, murder, corruptions. Psychopathic tortures. Incest and abuse.

Don't get me started. When you decide to get started, to go where your temples pop with hate and you'd think about taking the law into your hands and play God saying who must die, try googling a few combinations of 'Bohemia Grove' 'ritual murder' 'Bush (Sr.)' 'child molestation' 'Omaha (Boys Town)' 'child prostitutes midnight tours of the White House in the 1980s' and toss in a 'Guckert' at times, or, for that matter, our homie 'Goldschmidt.'

Don't get me started, but I can bleat just one: Sarah Palin's offspring.
Heck, it doesn't even have to be what you're thinking, about statutory rape or cover-up liar without confession. Instead, go ask the google oracle what caused her father to suddenly snatch up the family, overnight, and high-tail it out of Indiana all the way to out-of-sight outback Alaska.

When Palin's dysfunctionality and illegality outrage you, then come back to Portland provincial and read about His Crudeness, the Mayor.

Recovering Conservative:

Gay or straight is not be an issue here.

That said, as much as I hate to trot it out, it isn't about the sex, its the cover up.

Its what angered the right during the impeachment of President Clinton. This is different. The Clinton case involved a grown woman and a grown man.

Yes, there is no proof of illicit activity, and frankly, I really don't want to know the nitty gritty. I do question the judgment of a man my age chasing teenagers at work. If it were hetero it would still be for lack of a better word, icky.

Best statement of the nut of the problem right here.

Sam told us a story. Many of us believed it because it looked like he was getting smeared; two conspired to lie to everyone.

That's the problem. We were cynically, unconscionably lied to, and Sam only 'fessed up when WW had him in a corner.

If there's one question that I'd like Sam to answer, if I had the chance to ask him, it would be "How do you expect us to keep any faith at all with politicians or the political process if you actually went forward with this."

I'll admit to a hell of a lot of naïvete about people aspiring to elected office. It's kind of a defense mechanism: I refuse to let my core beliefs become as cynical as my everyday operating assumptions, because as long as there are people with higher aspirations, it seems as though there ought to be higher purposes guiding them.

Things like this are why people are so cynical and apathetic about politics, especially Portland city politics.

I used to criticize people for checking out and being apathetic. Now I kind of feel like a fool for doing it.

I facetiously wonder if Sam and Randy are going to apologize for putting the knife into Bob Ball's reputation as they did. I don't disagree with many of thier goals for the City, but over the last few years, I've developed deep reservations about their methods and the friends they've made. Now, I've just about completely lost faith.

Apropos of Bob Ball is something then-former Secretary of Labor Ray Donovan said, way back in '87: "Which office do I go to to get my reputation back?"

Mike (I forget which one):

All politicians lie; when will voters start remembering that? I need a voters guide to tell me when it is OK to lie, and when it is not.

All? No, they don't. Not even I am that cynical. Find someone on your local school board, soil and water conservation board, or other such level body. Tell them they are a liar because they're politicians too: QED.

Even I find there is such a thing as too broad a brush.

You have to hand it to Sam - his political instincts are great. He waited until he was sworn in to admit to his affair with the intern, fully knowing that he couldn't be removed from office for six months. By that time, there's a good chance that everyone will have forgotten about his indiscretion.

What a champ. He reflects poorly on all gay people and all politicians.

The timing of this was largely dictated by Willamette Week. I questioned their motives when they first ran the original intern story, and I suspect they have a desired outcome here, although I can't tell what it is.

Maybe Sten has decided that he hates Bend and he wants to be mayor.

fully knowing that he couldn't be removed from office for six months

His BFF, Fireman Randy, could be recalled immediately, though...

It's a good question ... why did WW wait until now to put Sam in the corner?

Resign.

Human Resources Administrative Rules
http://www.portlandonline.com/omf/index.cfm?c=27799

BHR-11.02 - Prohibited Conduct

"No employee may directly supervise an employee with whom they are romantically involved. It shall be the responsibility of the supervisor or manager to promptly disclose, in writing, the existence of the relationship to their bureau director or to the Elected Official in charge in order to resolve the conflict."

BHR-11.01 - Statement of Ethical Conduct

"Employees are expected to conduct themselves in a manner to avoid the appearance of impropriety. Conduct that could appear dishonest to a reasonable observer will undermine the public trust even if the conduct is not illegal.

Does being elected come with special exceptions, privileges and perks? Or a heightened duty, because of the example that it sets?

"Why is this character trait so hard to come by in our elected leadership these days?"

Politics has become such a sleaze-ball profession in many ways, that I think many of the people who would make the best politicians want nothing to do with it. Instead, we get egotistical, grandstanding, publicity hounds. I voted for this particular one anyway because I thought he would be an effective mayor. I'm really disappointed.

Sam Adams puts the "ass" back in "class."

Now we get to watch the uncomfortable, insincere "apology."

"I'm sorry if I've let anyone down." Blah blah blah.

A year from now we won't be remember why this guy was a shoo-in.

And the media ABSOLUTELY knew about this before the election. It just happens to come out two weeks after inauguration? Yeah right.

Creepy..? you think? the slime ball needs to vanish quick.
The trust factor has slipped to the all time low. Lets not forget his lies about his personal bankruptcy as well. He finally came clean on that. This is the guy running our towns budget! He could not even balance his own checking account. Randy Leonard should be ashamed. My pick for Mayor? Nick Fish. He is the only one that has a brain in his head on that council.

And he has his news conference on the biggest news day in history. Coincidence?

Sometime in the past, I remember a Portland politician comparing the local citizenship to people complaining about fleas.

Jack, I think you should re-name him "Sam the pederast." It doesn't rhyme with tram but it's funnier.

IMPEACH NOW
Let me get this straight, he knew this was a brewing scandal which would show him in the wrong. Everyone who knew about it received a plum new job or was promised a choice assignment:
Amy Ruiz: investigative reporter covering the scandal. Now working in Adam's office at $55k/yr.
Randy Leonard: Knew all parties involved, including the accuser. Had all the inside info. Promised the role of Police commissioner.
Mr. Breedlove: The young stud at the center of the scandal who previously bounced around in foodservice jobs. Now an Sales or Leasing agent at the prestigious Wyatt, owned by developers with direct ties to city hall.
It's not the crime, it's the coverup and it most certainly reaches beyond this small group of insiders. How wonderful my career could be if I only knew something dark about a politician....

If anyone decides to run a serious campaign to recall this sorry pile of human garbage (and maybe that SOB Leonard too), I will donate $1,000.00 to help move the recall along.

Sam should embrace Obama's call for a new era of responsibility, and resign immediately. He can't be trusted to tell the truth. He has betrayed our trust. He is unfit to hold the office of Mayor.

Sho time!

You gotta love Fireman Randy in the O today - Adams didn't lie to him because he was careful not to ask the precise incriminating question. Adams lack of self control is disappointing; it seems to reinforce the worse stereotypes of gays. Do we really think he will resign? I will support a recall, even if we have to wait 6 months.

It looks like citizens are mobilizing to recall.

http://www.recallsamadams.com/

It also looks like they could use your help.

The relationship stuff is off limits for impeachment in my opinion. As long as the kid was 18. But these other allegations about hiring reporters to get them off the trail? That could be an abuse of power.
We also don't want this to be a chance for the anti-gay types to vent, but don't play the gay card either. Let's remember: A gay man with ambitions to run for Mayor was deliberately slimed and his reputation and chances of success were badly damaged in the process. The person was Bob Ball and the man who did it - while blatantly lying for months - was the eventual winner of the Mayor's race: Sam Adams. Sam, it could be time to lawyer up.

Tensk, you speak of Palin's "illegality" and then claim Adams has no "illegality" issues concerning Breedlove.

First, what is your response to pdxnag's post on Portland's Human Resource Rules BHR 11.02 Prohibit Conduct and BHR 11.01 Statement of Ethical Conduct? Both Rules are just as serious as the grounds used to "fire" Portland's Police Commissioner Foxworth.

Secondly, could you cite the "illegalities" that Palin has committed?

It's just insane and not an indication of the "gay" issue but rather an indication of the "man" issue. Once again, a man a) uses his power and influence to have an inappropriate sexual relationship with another and b)lies about it.

He lied to everyone. He should resign. If he didn't want to risk the election he should have simply made no comment. But he proactively made a decision to lie - to us. I'm done. He's pathetic and an idiot. I don't care what his reasoning is - I don't trust him anymore and don't want him as my mayor.

Breedlove is an adult now. He knows what actually happened and can decide whether or not he wants to do something about his relationship with Adams. But Adams' disingenuousness and alleged attempts to buy the silence of knowledgeable parties should be investigated further.

Integrity, character, leadership....it was Homer Williams that first called Sam Adams a liar publically in the Oregonian- 3 years ago. It just seemed so easy for him to lie - and I am aware of many other lies he's told to move his way to the top. Time to go Sam, and I don't think there's a place for you in Washington DC where there's a new, more ethical game in town. Try Mexico.

Haven’t we learned that in politics especially, it’s the cover-up that takes down the politician? Sam should have known better and that is what makes this so frustrating. So much promise and then this happens. What bothers me most is that he lied in such a grandiose sort of way, sitting before any reporter willing to interview him on the subject. That’s was so disturbing. And I believed him. He should have been honest from the start and let it play out. Frankly, I still think he would have been elected mayor. The depth of his competition was lackluster at best.

Adams, you need to immediately resign NOW.You are not only a liar, you have demonstrated a complete lack of judgement. if further investigated I believe the truth will come out that you have been sleeping with other staff members as well. How dare you sully this day, which should be special to all Portlanders who supported President Obama.

He was still forcefully lying about it last Thursday.

I don't think that this is so much a question of legality, as a question of integrity.

Elected leadership needs to have integrity, and Sam "the Tram" Adams clearly has very little. He not only covered his own ass by lying, but cajoled others into lying too, AND destroyed the reputation of a political opponent at the same time.

This is Nixon-esque sleaze.

Jack, I think you should re-name him "Sam the pederast."

Right now I'm thinking "Scoutmaster Sam" as a working title.

I assume then that you think the Boy Scouts should change their current policy so that only lesbian women are allowed to serve as adult leaders.

Not to mention female teachers in high schools. Or any teachers in high schools. I guess we'll just have to start segregating sexes in schools.

a sad mark on an otherwise glorious day.

if a person:

(1) repeatedly lies before (and during) a campaign for public office, and

(2) trashes critics along the way for pointing out the lie, then

(3) shortly after securing the public office, admits (under pressure) to repeatedly lying, but

(4) still manages to sling mud at critics during the apology and refuses to give up the office--

what's going on, exactly?

Amy Ruiz: investigative reporter covering the scandal. Now working in Adam's office at $55k/yr.
Randy Leonard: Knew all parties involved, including the accuser. Had all the inside info. Promised the role of Police commissioner.

These two items alone should warrant a corruption investigation. Can we count on our new AG?

"Right now I'm thinking "Scoutmaster Sam" as a working title."

Great new nickname. "Sam the Tram" seems quaint and completely misses the essence of the man at this juncture.

If Sam were a Republican, he'd be run out of town on a rail and face criminal prosecution. The press would eat him alive and his political career would be over.

But, fortunately for Sam he's on the "approved" side of the aisle so he'll get a complete pass. The media will quickly move on and this will all be forgotten in a week or two. And the unqualified reported given the $55K job to shut up will get to keep her job, as well.

Disgusting.

so, Ruiz got a job for which she's stunningly unqualified for, in a place where hundreds of extremely qualified people would've fit the bill?

tip of the iceberg.

Amy, why don't you say something?

wait--you can't. you're a city employee.

look at how that worked out.

Jack, I can relate to any desire to have a public forum, but I'm pretty disappointed in many of the comments appearing here. Most egregious is the inaccurate and casual use of the term "pedophile," as well as the conflation of homosexuality and pedophelia. I'm sure you're as disgusted by some of this stuff as anyone -- but as the convener of the discussion, it would be really refreshing to hear you say so directly.

Pete, feel free to correct whatever you find erroneous. There are definitions of "pedophilia" that would be easy enough to look up. There are pedophiles of both straight and gay varieties.

On a topic like this one, comment cop is too much of a task for me.

T.L., many, many of us liberal democrats are outraged and disgusted by Sam's behavior. It's not a liberal or conservative issue; its an issue of the pigs feeding at the public trough which Sam keeps filled to the brim for said piggies, and the fact that the mainstream media is beholden to the pigs for advertising revenue. Or at least they were before all the pigs went broke.

Jack: Thanks for the reply, what you say makes sense.

I guess I'm not going to volunteer for comment cop either -- seems like a pretty high noise-to-signal ratio. I remain impressed with what both Adams and Ruiz have done for Portland, and am not inclined to make the leaps of logic that many here seem to be making.

as much as I hate to trot it out, it isn't about the sex, its the cover up. It's what angered the right during the impeachment of President Clinton.

That's ridiculous. The right wing had been out for Bill Clinton's hide forever. Good Lord, long before Monica Lewinsky ever even got to DC, the wingnuts had been going on the airwaves to allege that Bill and Hillary Clinton had had people murdered, were drug dealers, and so on. The Lewinsky business just gave the wingnuts cover for engaging in quasi-legal maneuvers and an opportunity to pander BIG TIME to the Christofascist base of the GOP, while simultaneously trying to promote their legislative agenda: you know, the legislative agenda that had landed the US in its present fiscal mess.

Perhaps I've been confused by one of the few actual facts, but, IIRC, the young fellow involved was an intern for a state legislator in Sale.

I am not aware that the fellow was ever an employee of the City of Portland, or any City Commissioner.

Please correct me if I am wrong on that.

And Adams should resign. Now.

And if not, be recalled in July.

...At the very least he has tainted the selection and hiring process at city hall.
And we must acknowledge that being beholden to at least one other council member resulted in cloudy decisions on bureau assignments....

Not that the readership posting most of these comments seem to express much care about facts, it does seem appropriate to point out two glaring and recurring falsehoods being touted.

The first corrections is that Beau Breedlove was not Sam's intern. He was an intern in the Oregon State House. There was no employee/employer relationship whatsoever. This is not a situation involving sexual harassment or abuse of power.

Second is that pedophiles are those who are sexually attracted to those who have not yet developed secondary sexual characteristics (i.e. reached puberty). Not that anyone has offered any evidence beyond their own perverse revenge fantasies that Beau was a minor at the time of his and Sam's relationship, but it deserves clarification that even if he had been 17, a sexual relationship with him would not constitute pedophilia.

You may return to pretending that this is even a remotely legitimate issue, now armed with a couple facts that will hopefully take the discussion at least a notch above a witch hunt.

Clay Fouts, he lied to the public for his own gain, and in the process he smeared the reputation of somebody who was telling the truth. It certainly appears that he then tried to cover it up by rewarding an unqualified person with a well-paid tax-payer funded position. Classic corruption, and certainly not a witch hunt.

He lied about something that is none of our business, no matter how much people want it to be. The fact remains that some people do think it's their business, and they would have sought to drag this mayoral race into a degenerate airing of dirty laundry that would have done Portland no favors whatsoever in trying to decide who should be their next mayor based on issues that, you know, actually have something to do with being mayor rather than whatever stokes their own prurient fantasies.

That Bob Ball's idea of "testing the political waters" is tossing out rumors about his potential opponent's sexual exploits -- rumors he was not even convinced were true -- only further demonstrates that he didn't have much of a reputation to smear. Yes, it's too bad people didn't get to vote for the guy whose platform was exploring other people's private, interpersonal relationships. That's exactly the type of work we ought to strive to see come out of city hall.

rumors he was not even convinced were true

Rumors that were true. And about which Adams did not say "None of your business." No, instead he lied. Repeatedly. And coached someone else to lie.

Don't blame Ball. Adams has managed to kill his own career.

That's ridiculous. The right wing had been out for Bill Clinton's hide forever. Good Lord, long before Monica Lewinsky ever even got to DC, the wingnuts had been going on the airwaves to allege that Bill and Hillary Clinton had had people murdered, were drug dealers, and so on.

I guess my point is that Sam wants to throw up a smokescreen, and I can almost see it now. "He (Breedlove) was 18. This is Sam's personal life. The Right Wing is out to get Sam! Circle the wagons!"

What happened to President Clinton (note I said President) was farcical at the very least, and it backfired (Most of the key players in the impeachment are out of office and punchlines to me). As someone coming away from that mindset, it made the GOP a joke to me. Perhaps I should have used a different example.

But my point stands. This is a textbook case of unchecked ego and abuse of power. Sam needs to hang it up. Unlike Larry Craig tried to do (See, Blue Dress, I named a Republican), we need more of our elected officials to have a sense of shame over misconduct they participate in.

Apologies, however heartfelt, are not enough of a consequence. Sam should take one for the team and step aside.

If he truly cared about his agenda (which the City Council shares) he would step down to allow a mayor to come in who may be willing to treat the power and trust given to him/her with respect, and execute the duties of the office seriously and in full transparency. Abuse of power equals abuse of trust.

Finally, if I stole your car, burned it, and then said I was really sorry, but didn't pay you for the damage, is that ok?

Apparently to some, it would be.

drivin' fool - Fair enough, and good points. But, I don't think you can argue about the double standard in local politics.

It will be interesting to see if any of Sam's campaign contributors or supporters ask him to step aside, or even voice an opinion. My guess is that the silence will be deafening.

On this Inauguration Day eve, I hear Sam has a couple of big balls to go to.

...Don't count on any reliable testimony from Fireman Randy either. He's too busy creating a new post-city council job for himself in Merrit Paulson's taxpayer funded sports empire....

Come to think of it, do you think Merrit Paulson has some juicy stuff on Adams? How else would such a loonbird idea of a Lents stadium and another PGE Park renovation get so far along? ..I'm just askin'...

Did BHR-11.02, the ban on supervisors having romantic involvement with subordinates, lead directly to blocking out Mr. Breedlove from an internship opportunity? The word mentoring does seem to pop up a lot.

I think it would be fair to say that Mr. Breedlove would rather have been an intern than a waiter. But, because of the sex, the next best thing was to eventually find him a rewarding position, with familiar ties to the insider's club. Problem solved. Though not directly in city government, it was a life changing (or career changing) event, to say the least, from Mr. Breedlove's perspective.

Suppose Sam desires a romantic relationship with one of his own interns, or staff. Can he get them a job with one of the routine "stakeholders" and then carry on the "private" relationship while the stakeholder gets the inside scoop on prospective gifts from the city? What a mental mess that would be. And is!

Clay,
Evidently you are a member of NAMBLA.

The fundamental point is this. If this story had broken when it should have, Adams would not be mayor. Period.

I don't give a lusty crap if Beau was 17 or 18. A forty something year old man prepping an 18 year old to go to bed with him is sleazy and it is wrong.

Sam needs to resign.

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/01/its_about_character.html

lw | Jan.20,09 10:39 AM: "... response to ... HR Rules BHR 11.02 Prohibit Conduct and BHR 11.01 ... Ethical Conduct? "

Hey, bring it. If it gets him, it gets him. If it don't, it don't. I'm not even presuming innocence -- and so shame on me.
I just don't feel that it matters so much; I never have voted for someone I believed had honor-most moral integrity, since I never have seen such a person on the ballot -- even if I voted for myself!, in all honesty; (and you? Got honest?) -- I think I am grown too callous (as opposed to cynical), and I'd look to repair it in a fix of the system, somehow to make it more honest and the main (maybe only) treatment I think of for that, is truth. More truth, more information, more facts -- all in all: open communication, no secrecy unexplained, (here smearing blame on no-account, 'unnamed source,' good-looks / no-qualities media reporters ... and some in that role in this Sam-the-sham deceit). No, facts and actual truth is not the same as honesty, but it might do until the real thing comes along.
My simpleminded sense is to try to fix The System, I think the systemic is problematic, (maybe why I crusade charges wholesale against The Media and Massmind, mostly, instead of against particular programs on particular days); I doubt there is honesty in, or ever can be fixed in, any individual person(s) ... since I can't fix it in me, myself, and I ... and so "do unto others" the same -- acknowledgment is the Mercy in Justice, without which it is not Justice. Every one is born a sinner, I think; the only salvation from it is somewhere in awareness of it -- open communication, (though that doesn't cancel it out or escape it ... so communicating confession, apology, remorse, I esteem; but I expect 'the problem' still exists in Sam's nature inherently); so (by me) the best to do is work on refining, improving, 'purifying' The System.
Write those Rules, spell things out, and watch for violators or inadequacies. This may be one of those cases, so, fine, consider it in light of existing Rules, (but I'm unlikely to be a wise choice to sit on the jury -- what the case seems, in what I've heard, is sorta boring, typical typical typical, but that's just me).

I don't feel 'fooled' and hotly indignant (that I was fooled). I might have expected as much, from Sam, if it had mattered to me enough to delve in the thought.
The other thing I said is I more dwell on worse, more serious, more evil and harmful behaviors which are going on thick as death. (I tried to restrain myself citing them all, except one.) For instance, very strong feeling stirs in me now as I listen to LIARS Larson lecture and belabor all about how serious Sam's lying is, and how to be so sure of such things ... and certainly a professional expert at lying must know it to tell; LIARS doth protest too much. Sam's 'tryst' is a 'federal case' to hear LIARS tell it, with no recognition that WMD lies for war-making murdering millions of souls -- which guilty LIARS Larson participated in and promoted! -- is a totally different degree and death-dealing deviance. The mote in LIARS view is a plank in his eye.

---
"Both Rules are just as serious as the grounds used to "fire" Portland's Police Commissioner Foxworth."

At first impulse, I agree: "just as serious." Which feels to me barely serious. I don't recall railing against Foxworth, yet if I were to count my dismay, the first thing that comes to mind is that he is a twin, has a twin brother. I look askance at that, but that's just me.

Anyway, violating Rules is not a crime; breaking the Law is. I judge by Rules and conduct by Laws, and sometimes I succeed and sometimes I fail and sometimes I get them confused.

"Secondly, could you cite the "illegalities" that Palin has committed? "

Well, hers ain't the most serious instances deranging my mind. (Thanks for your question, giving a place to expound this.) I chose hers to mention because of salacious similarity with some points of Sam's case; or, one specific point: concerns about the sexual maturity age and whether it was lascivious. That concern is in thinking, as I do, the baby was 'under-age' Bristol's; who Sarah lied to 'protect,' (false claiming the baby her own). And to avoid the legal consideration in the detail of Bristol's age, 'Palin protectors' swallowed whole-hog Sarah's patent "my baby" lies and tried not to think about it, how disgraced they made themselves to 'protect' her.

If there was illegality in that charade of Sarah's, I'd charge it in falsified medical records -- either destroying ones that existed, or fabricating fraudulent ones. Depending on what (legally enforced) investigation finds. Investigation which hasn't happened yet. Are there vital statistics records or not? The answer is one of the "illegalities" I name.

Another is the Alaska Troopergate crime of abuse of good Office. Another is fraud cashing reimbursement checks for unvouched personal (family) travel. And there are more, sometimes shady sometimes illicit misconducts ... personal-benefit wardrobe from unreported campaign funds. All 'put on ice' swept under a glacier-slow and interfered investigation process.

But the one crime-style "illegality" I allege, most deserving a Sherlock-Holmes looking into, is the Alaska Governor's 'selling' the U.S. Senate seat (or candidacy) there, in exchange for gubernatorial campaign support or endorsement, if not direct funds or fundraising proceeds. In that she was repaid, by agreement, not for promoting a certain successor or primary challenger to Ted Stevens seat, but for actions taken to block out or derail every known effort credible toward it, including backing off her own stated intent -- so going beyond cronyism, to corrupt actions in the interest of benefiting recipient Stevens who compensated her accordingly, (perhaps with rigged installation of her as governor ... being 'slept' into office?) Not as dollar-denominated yet equally corrupt as the power plays of Illinois' Governor-and-Senate-seat intrigues.

Lister (up 2 comments) is right on. Tenskwhatever has a screw loose in his/her moral compass. Sam - please resign.

RESIGN! It is the only honorable thing left to do.

PS: I like "Sam the Scoutmaster" ...

i like your blog Jack.

help me understand who you do like for City Council.

thanks!