But Jack - this is a "PROGRESSIVE" City. Those sorts of things NEVER happen here in PROGRESSIVE LAND!

Jack, I agree with you. If Sam Adams had any class or true regard for our City, he'd step aside and let the process of re-electing another Mayor begin. He could even throw his hat into the ring.

Some in the media have put too much weight on the Kroger report, and Sam himself sent out a mass email yesterday proclaiming that "The Attorney General’s office released the results of its five-month investigation today, clearing me of wrong-doing." My problem is that it was never about Breedlove or the criminal investigation. Sam lied to get elected, and he was elected; therein lies the "wrongdoing". Sam has said he "made mistakes", but lying to get elected isn't a simple indescretion; it's fraud. Hiring Amy Ruiz was as sleazy as it gets, and Sam has no more legitimacy right now that the "President" of Iran. He should quit.

Kroger's silence about the cash in his report is absurd. No way can such a shoddy whitewash cover such a bad odor.

What's the link to this story? I'm not familiar with it...

Well now, his alleged criminal conduct is one corroborating witness shy of prosecution, does that result bear on his demonstrated lack of sound judgment?
How about the lack of candor and use of his alternative lifestyle to unfairly tar his opponent?
Peformance related is dropping the ball with the legislature. But he did burnish Portland's image peddling around Belgium.
His judgment and performance thus far indicate the job is tougher than his leadership accumen. If he is not impeached, he should be enthroned on a "power chair" cause he'll be the lamest drake bobbing in the wetland.

What was the name of that old rock and roll group?....Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs...
I can see the photoshop in my mind's eye; I am just not techie enough to do it.
Anybody?

Jack..what happened to your source who said that it wasn't a matter of "if" Adams would resign, but "when"???

That source was wrong about the timing of the Kroger announcement, and obviously also incorrect about the content of the report.

Correction: I think Kroger did address the cash envelopes in the report under "Lack of Corroborating Evidence." In that section he stated that there was no physical evidence including notes that Breedlove had something damaging on Sam regarding the restroom and the pickup truck contact.

But there were notes: Bank notes, also known as cash. And anyone who has even seen Matlock once, would have concluded that envelopes full of cash handed to Breedlove through other city hall employees was evidence of possible wrongdoing in this case.

Kroger can't possibly be too stupid to get that.

This was a serious matter of the public interest too. At least, Kroger should have checked out whether or not the Mayor of Portland was being blackmailed. Or was involved in a campaign to pay off people with the goods on him.

We know he was struggling to make his mortgage payments. By the way, the pre-payment for legal fees always did sound like total BS. Sam probably knew he hadn't run up enough in legal fees to explain the payoffs so he came up with "pre-payment." This is all speculation but that's how it smells to me.

See, after a while you begin to have a sense for a Sam Adams-caliber lie. That certainly felt like one. But we won't know because the cash changing hands between the people in this story didn't even make the report.

Let's - just for fun - say that a whole lot of money was involved. What do we know about past Sam Adams' lies?

One thing is that he usually lies in a way that builds himself up. It's the egomaniacal part of his personality - the way he got huffy after the rumors about Beau first surfaced. This gossip could have been dismissed with one sentence.

But not with Sam. He went into the problem of teenage boys committing suicide because they have no one to mentor them. Remember? He had to make himself out to be more than not guilty - he tried to spin it that he was downright noble - practically saint-like in the humane, caring way he was helping mentor this young man.

To hear Sam tell it, he could have saved this poor youngster from suicide! Wow, what a guy!

Well, take that pattern and put it on the money envelopes. Once again, Sam - bless his heart - was looking after a friend in need. A young man was struggling to move and to make a car payment, and even though Sam was facing a vicious smear campaign, he still found it in his heart to loan Beau the money.

Once again: What a guy! And he hasn't really acted mad that Beau didn't pay him back. Hadn't he also helped Beau land the cushy job showing condos - with Sam dropping by at one of their functions at Beau's request? Where's the thanks?

Sam didn't even get the money back after Beau got paid for the nude layout in the magazine. This dude Sam Adams is so forgiving - like a saint. And that darn Beau is SO mean!

Here Sam is not paying the mortgage on his house and Beau still doesn't pay him back. What? Where's the gratitude?

Listen closely for the Matlock moment, Portland:

It's almost as if Beau doesn't really owe him the money because it wasn't a loan after all.

But did Kroger look there? No. He must have attributed it to Sam's wonderfulness as a human being.

That's what the Kroger investigation has stumbled on: That we have a true humanitarian as mayor.

Too bad the public isn't buying it.

See, most of the rest of us have seen Matlock, and more importantly, we feel like we can spot another pile of Sam's BS from the top of Mt. Tabor.

And one reason for that is the pile of Sam's BS is now TALLER than Mt. Tabor.

What's the old saying? Follow the money?

Kroger should have looked into it. He didn't and that makes his investigation nothing more than a press release from fantasy camp.

Did the ODOJ investigators even try to talk to "Richard" the Security Guard/Adams Bagman?

Fageddaboudit! Maybe it's not been an unusual event for strangers to waltz up to him at the desk to pick up envelopes of money. Hope Richie got hazard pay. Dey don' call it Stumptown fer nuttin'. Budda boom! Ayyy!

Too bad close is only good in horseshoes and hand grenades:

http://www.kptv.com/news/19827947/detail.html

That was just one of his many poses. He was never going to resign. He'd be homeless. He's unemployable.

What's the link to this story? I'm not familiar with it...

Linky.

Have faith folks, Sam will eventually self destruct. Its in his jeans.

Hey, I grew up in Chicago. This is chump change.

Timing, timing, timing.

Announcement early in the week, explanation later in the week:

http://www.pdxcityclub.org/forums-events/friday-forums.php#FridayForums

Bill McDonald is once again correct ("too bad the public isn't buying it") but City Club soldiers (saw it, bought it, hook line sinker etc) can't wait to give a standing O:

Bill McDonald has nailed it. Except the Matlock Moment bit, unless the inference is that even a geriatric Pablum dribbler could see through Adam's shtick. Maybe go with Cannon next time Bill, some food stains on the shirt, a bit heavy, but no ear hair.

I'm going to the City Club forum on Friday, where Kroger is speaking. I have some ideas for a question to ask him, but if you had one question to ask him about the investigation, what would it be?

If the lying sack of s**t we call Mayor wasn't even obligated to tell the truth to the A.G.'s office, why should we believe he wasn't lying to save himself from prosecution?

He already called another gay man a homophobe for telling the truth, and then lied through his teeth for the next two years.

$750 dollars for Beau. $75 million dollars for Paulson. The only difference are a few zeros and commas: what's important is Sam's ability to retain his office. Portlanders get screwed either way.

So, lemme get this straight: according to Kroger it was Mentor Sam, in the bedroom, with the lying, ex-con, piano-playing, money-taking, awkward, money-taking, teenage snitch.

"Nothing else to see here folks, it's all over, just keep movin' along...."

Not so fast. (Cue the theme from "Peter Gunn").

Peter Gunn theme - original
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcflCzZlLcQ

Roy Buchanan - Peter Gunn theme
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToFoHHXdBoM

Art of Noise - Peter Gunn Live featuring Duane Eddy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEPSR4KsbO8

Peter Gunn - first episode, ending
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8sgbx70wAw

"Sometimes, you get lucky."

If Sam were a remodeler and he kept misquoting, making mistakes on the repairs, doing what he wanted rather than what was good for my family and the project and scalping me by paying for materials from high-rolling buddies I wouldn't be bought off by continual apologies, excuses from his friends and the assurance that it wouldn't happen again and he just wanted to be allowed to get on with the remodel.

If it were only about Beau it would almost be a relief.

I'm thinking that our AG Kroger is near the bottom based on his "investigation". I now doubt that he'll make it to a second term.

I found it quite interesting Kroger announced his City Club meeting via email and press release about 30 minutes after the Adams investigation was released.

...we feel like we can spot another pile of Sam's BS from the top of Mt. Tabor.

I was on top of Mt. Tabor yesterday, as a matter of fact. I was wondering what that mound off toward downtown was.

Even if Adams stuff doesn't pass muster for a criminal investigation, it might be good enough for a civil suit.

Remember: OJ wasn't criminally convicted of the murders, but he was found civilly responsible.

The fact that Adams has not asked Beau for repayment of the money, even in light of his inability to pay his mortgages, strongly indicates that these payments were bribes and not loans.

If Kroger wanted to find the truth, he would have used a grand jury at the very least. He turns out to be another cynical politician looking for an easy out for purposes of political expediency.

I just finish re-reading "Portland Confidential" today. Sam should've taken pointers from Peterson and Schrunk.