One of the classic elements of Sam's personality is his need to brag while he lies. The best example is when he gushed about how he had only mentored Beau because he knew how gay teens sometimes commit suicide. Considering that the true story was likely to get out, it would have been better for Sam to lie humbly without painting himself as such a noble, caring person.

This is the part that is so mediocre about Sam the person. He is on an ego trip of such pathological dimensions, that he can't stop bragging even when it's hurting his lies.

That is why - back in January - when Sam denied doing any favors for Beau, it was somewhat of a breakthrough. Here he was just plain lying without the noble embellishment.

Perhaps the situation was so serious that he snapped out of it.

Then again, he might not have been able to think of a way. I suppose he could have said, "I didn't do favors for Beau, but I do help my friends all the time because I'm a wonderful person."

But he didn't take that route. That was a little surprising. Was Sam growing as a human being?

No. The lies of January eventually unraveled and the envelopes of cash came to light. Investigators were on this part of the story and it was pretty likely - even for Kroger - that the cash would look suspicious.

So how does Sam describe this? In the Oregonian article linked here, Sam says, "I talked about this and brought this issue up with the attorney general."

Aww, shoot, Sam. There you go again just when you were making so much progress.

You brought this up with the attorney general? You didn't think that they knew about it already, or would find out? You wanted credit for being the one who brought it up?

Aww, Sam. You had to go into bragging mode again. What a guy - so innocent and helpful that you pointed out these damaging things to assist in your own investigation? Wow, you're even more noble than we thought.

Get ready. Here's the Matlock Moment, folks:

Matlock's in court discussing the envelopes of cash funneled through the receptionist and security guard.
But how does he convince the jury it was a payoff?

Simple. He shows how Sam likes to brag when he lies. Matlock gives the examples here, and maybe some others.

Then he says, "Sam, you tripped up back in January when you said you hadn't done any favors for Beau. See, you forgot the bragging part. You always brag when you lie, but not this time. Why was that?"

Then Matlock turns to the jury and says, "The reason Sam didn't brag was because he wasn't lying. The cash envelopes weren't a favor to Beau. They were a payoff to Beau."

True or not? Who knows but I'm sure a jury could figure it out.

Bill, good analysis and accurate.

What's sad is that few things around here get to a jury or a vote. Yes, we get to vote on a candidate maybe every four years, but the game becomes a referendum on personality, and not on the issues. Plus we usually get the same kind of candidates with the same politics, which doesn't make for an interesting discussion if they happen to discuss an issue.

A jury trial would even be better when more concise information is brought forward. But Kroger may have robbed us of that. But we can hope for a few civil lawsuits that could help pin the tail on the donkey.

In fact, what Ball was saying was true, of course.

Well, no, it wasn't actually.

Bob said that Sam had sex with a minor. According to the attorney general:

We have obtained no evidence that Adams engaged in illegal sexual intercourse with a minor

So, no, what Bob was saying was false.

You could say that Bob was in the ballpark, but that's a pretty loose standard when you're alleging criminality. Having sex with someone who was very recently a minor is icky, but not criminal.

Kari's comment above is why I just can't bring myself to fully support Oregon Democrats...just apologists for pedophiles. First Neil, now Scam...

..."Envelopes full of LOANS"...Not cash, they were loans. Kroger said so.

"what Bob was saying was false."

Not necessarily, it may well be true what he said, but if Sam/Beau conspired to make a story up just like Sam did with his platform speech on how none of this was true, then it may well be true.

I'm with Westsideguy...ideology shouldn't trump character.

Kari, you don't actually know what is true or false. Neither does Kroger. If you actually understood the quote that you posted you would see that Kroger was saying that he didn't have any evidence.

No evidence doesn't mean it didn't happen. What Bob was saying might very well be true.

No evidence doesn't mean it didn't happen. What Bob was saying might very well be true.

Fair enough. And just because you've never been to the moon doesn't mean that it's not made of green cheese.

But you're right. Nobody but Sam and Beau truly know what happened.

Which is why Bob Ball's accusations were based on speculation, rumor, innuendo, and malice.

Which is why Sam should have said "None of your damn business" way back then. That he didn't is quite disappointing, but not something to recall him over.

Full disclosure: My firm built Sam Adams' campaign website, but I speak only for myself.

Kari,
Do you know any people in your immediate life who need help financially? I travel in less illustrious circles but it's been my experience that someone is always struggling and needing help.
They call here because sometimes I have helped them but sometimes I won't depending on my own situation at the time.

We know that Sam was not paying his mortgages, earlier this year. We know he was funneling cash to Beau in late 2008. Would any decent legal mind look at that and say the cash was a favor? Or would someone who is supposed to guard the public interest say, "There's something weird going on here"?

Maybe Sam is more of a saint than I am, but I don't do financial favors if I'm looking at being broke. Sam had to be anticipating trouble. He knew there was a scandal in the works that would require a little war chest to get ready.

If - during late December, 2008 - he had chosen to help one of his friends move despite looming problems paying for the roof over his own head, that would be a very suspicious favor. There would have to be more to it.

Now, the fact that the person the favor was done for is the same one in the scandal, proves to me beyond a reasonable doubt that Sam wasn't just trying to be nice. He was trying to keep Beau on his side. That is not a "favor" in the traditional sense. It is much closer to what normal investigative officers call "hush money."

To put it into your logical terms, if the moon were made of green cheese and it had an atmosphere, it would stink about as much as Sam's story of doing a favor for Beau by lending him the cash.

Now Kari, if you want to go on spinning that Sam was innocent here, that's your right. But credibility is another thing and I'd hate to see you spend yours on something that doesn't make logical sense.

You state, "So, no, what Bob was saying was false." Then when you're called on your inability to know that, you retreat with "Fair enough." That is a classic spin move. Dish out the BS, and then retreat from it later.

Kroger already turned himself into somewhat of a joke with his report. He comes off as someone who couldn't find snow in a blizzard. Only snow doesn't stink. Okay, how's this? Kroger couldn't find garbage in a landfill.

He can do all the document dumps he wants to show due diligence here, but anyone looking at cash envelopes at city hall, and not sensing a problem with the circumstances, is either playing the political agenda card, or is too dumb to hold up his own forehead.

Kari you are so naive. Like most of the people Sam manipulates, you have fallen right where he wants you. Sam is one of the coldest, calculating people I have ever met. Unfortunatley, I saw his deeds first hand. I'm so tired of Sam's mouthpiece gang out there burning everyone who gets in his way. The only people who ever claimed Ball said that Sam had sex with a minor are his blind followers. Randy is just trying to save himself. I went back and looked at everything Ball said at the time on KATU, Willamette Week, Oregonian, and Kroger's interviews. The only thing he said was somone close to Sam came to him and said Sam had an inappropriate relationship with a minor. One of Sam's first comments when he came clean was that the relationship was "inappropriate." So at least Ball and Sam can agree on that point.

You have to believe Sam or Beau. I believe Beau. Even if they just kissed at 17, Sam committed a crime.

Sam's strategy is to divert, divert, divert. You have proved yourself to be one of the many burned stooges that Sam uses to get his messages out to the public.

As a gay man, I am so distressed because of what Sam has done to our community. He used us to cover his own pathetic self and to take down another gay man to save himself.

Kari, you should disclose your conflict and keep quiet.

Why do people keep defending Sam as being innocent? Even Sam has never denied that something happened. His only statement has been that he did lie about his involvement with Beau and that he "doesn't remember" the incident before Beau turned 18 in the men's room.

My advice to Kari Chisolm would be to watch out for large, yellow vehicles full of people. That would be the bus coming for you like it has for all of Sam's friends and supporters. When it happens, please come back and tell us what the view from under there looks like.

Kari,

I see you did disclose your conflict. I missed that.

"Which is why Bob Ball's accusations were based on speculation, rumor, innuendo, and malice."

No they weren't, Kari. One of Sam's own staffers went to Ball with his story of having to babysit Beau and the crap it caused in the office. Wake up.