Portland Mayor Won't Resign Over Lying About Teen

reply to post by earlywatcher


early, I agree. The Mayor was acting on his own self-interests, and not in the capacity of the status he was elected to.

IF the intern had been a 17-year-old female, the outcome is the same. It is INAPROPRIATE!

Impeach him....not on the basis of the 'Gay' issue, but simply on the impropriety in its extreme.

In fact, IF the intern had been an of-age consenting adult, regardless of gender, it is STILL inappropriate!!

Hope rational people will understand this distinction....

reply to post by earlywatcher


Thanks for posting earlywatcher! It's good to hear the hometown point of view.

Is this the mayor's first time being mayor? I'm a bit confused about that part. Also, which group do you feel is the majority, the people that want him to stay, or the people that want him gone?

Again, thanks for posting.

reply to post by weedwhacker


I agree as well.

Though I doubt he will be impeached or have any other legal action taken against him, I believe there are two options.

1- He stays in office and nothing happens.

or

2- He resigns because the people demand it, or he just can't handle the heat, and has to step out of the kitchen.

Originally posted by Mynaeris
Not it should matter but the mayor is 46 - shouldn't he know better than this by now?

An enormous amount of these high up people are into child sex religiously. Anyone who has heard Ted Gunderson and Rusty Nelson speak knows this, so it is a bit concerning.

As it stands though, it's legal. But the young lad may well have been pressured into it, and none of us would ever know, regardless what he even says himself.

reply to post by wisefoolishness


What does who he has sex with (being that it WAS legal) have ANYTHING to do with his job?

Nothing. None what so ever. I could care less if he had orgies with multiple 18 year olds, as long as it's not on the job.

People need to get over it and worry about their own sex lives.

Originally posted by Rockpuck
reply to post by wisefoolishness

 

What does who he has sex with (being that it WAS legal) have ANYTHING to do with his job?

Nothing. None what so ever. I could care less if he had orgies with multiple 18 year olds, as long as it's not on the job.

People need to get over it and worry about their own sex lives.

I generally agree, but if you read the post from earlywatcher on page 1 who lives in Portland, it sounds like this guy has been lying about this.

You are right, it is his own business, but he lied.

Now, to compound the issue, he counter attacked those who brought it up and they were forced to drop out.

Another lady from the press countered him about it, and she got hired on as staff and the story died.

It does sound like some crazy stuff here above and beyond private matters.

reply to post by HunkaHunka


I am from Portland as well mate, and I still could care less who he's boinking.

He lied.

Because it was no one's business to dig into his sex life.

reply to post by wisefoolishness


Yes, it's his first time being mayor. Portland always has lots of people run for mayor and we have had some very colorful ones. Awhile back we had one who got elected by accident. I can't quite remember the details except that a lot of people voted for a local bar owner with zero political experience as a prank, a protest against the then-mayor running for reelection but it backfired and the next day when results were announced the city was stunned at what they'd done. some prank. Except that to everyone's surprise the guy with zero experience turned out to be an excellent mayor. So Portland does not demand a standard issue mayor. We like to experiment. It also means we don't expect wonders the first week. The current mayor has been a city commissioner so has a good idea of how city business is conducted and has many plans already in motion. I can't say if they are good or sensible plans, only that they are plans with support in parts of the community. Some of the things that are proposed in Portland are of truly questionable value.

My sense is that more people are calling for resignation than not because they believe his credibility has been damaged big time. We now know that he will definitely lie when it is expedient. Now probably that's true of all politicians and maybe most people, but as long as that's a guess one can still hope for honesty. We know he lied and drew others into the coverup. From letters to the editor and op-ed pieces, that's the biggest problem. I honestly think that if we had not had the Goldschmidt incident so recently this story would be getting less traction, but we are still pissed off at these politicians who think they can do anything and cover it up and carry on as if nothing happened because Goldschmidt really was able to do that for decades. This mayor was found out right away so doesn't have a secret to have to bury for his whole political career.

Mayor Sam Adams issued a statement today that he has decided to stay in office rather than resign. A recall effort can't be launched for 6 months so if he does a great job maybe this will blow over. The state attorney general is investigating the possibility of criminal charges but most people doubt that that will amount to anything.


[edit on 26-1-2009 by earlywatcher]

Originally posted by Rockpuck
reply to post by HunkaHunka

 

I am from Portland as well mate, and I still could care less who he's boinking.

He lied.

Because it was no one's business to dig into his sex life.

I guess then from that perspective the answer to "is it ethical to lie about your sex life?" is yes.

To which I'd have to agree :-)

Did this guy not learn from Mark Foley? Do any politicians learn anything from previous scandals? If you're going to screw around with your male interns you're just asking for legal battles and public humiliation that affects you and your family. Why don't you just come out of the closet? I don't have respect for James McGreevey and his lies, but at least he “came out” with it all when he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. This guy should have admitted from the start when the relationship actually began. On second thought-he should have divorced his wife (or never married her in the first place) if he really preferred being with men. He should have been out and proud and waited until pretty boys who caught his eye were of legal age. Would have saved his family from a lot of heartache.


EDIT: Just found this article.

Some insight from the former teen on their relationship:

"I do not see any relationship that I ever had with Sam as me being taken advantage of," Breedlove said. "I do not feel like I was ever a victim. I may have been 17, but I was an adult, and I knew what I was doing."

"I was not pulled into this situation by Sam. I was not unfairly influenced by Sam. I think Sam is a wonderful man."

www.oregonlive.com...


[edit on 26-1-2009 by rapinbatsisaltherage]

I'm not really sure how to come down on this one. I mean, when hyprocisy is splayed wide, for all to see, we should applaud. BUT, if it involves a minor, then it takes on a whole 'nother aspect....doesn't matter if it's Gay-on-Gay or Straight-on-Straight either...it's about what Humans do.

Funny thing is, what is a 'minor'?? In the UK, 16 is the 'age of consent'.

Yeah, I think that's too young. But, that is THEIR law. In the USA, 18 is the valid age, guessing it's the same in Canada(?)

Regardless....there IS a double-standard, everyone must admit.

It seems, generally, to be socially acceptable for an older man to pursue a younger woman (factoring out, for the moment any marriage entanglements!).

We snicker, and chuckle....BUT, if an older woman seeks out, or (gasp) decides to actually be seen with a younger (over 18) man....well, THAT IS when the double-standard kicks in, isn't it? What is the term for an older lady who likes a younger man? Oh, yeah....'cougar'.

Now, to this story. WAS the young man of age? The one alleged to be involved with this Mayor? IF THEY were both of age, and consenting, then what is the challenge? Where is the scandal??

Of course, if one was under-age, then let the scandal flow.....

reply to post by weedwhacker


The scandal to me is the boss grooming the young person for sex. The public explanation for the relationship was that the young man was trying to "come out" and turned to a successful professional who was openly gay for advice on how to act and to reassure his parents that he can still be a successful adult. In fact Sam Adams attended the young man Beau Breedlove's 18th birthday party at Breedlove's parents' house with a date (male) to show it's okay to do these things.

If Adams didn't think the relationship was detrimental to his career, why did he keep it a secret? Why did he describe it as an adult mentoring a confused teen instead of an affair. The affair, by the way, was of short duration.

Adams is openly gay, dates men. doesn't have a wife as far as I know. I've never heard a wife mentioned. He was elected mayor as an openly gay politician. This issue is not about who he dates in his private life. It's about what he does at work. Breedlove now claims Adams kissed him on the lips twice before he was 18, once in Adams car and once in the men's room at city hall after a party in Adams office.
Breedlove's revalations
Definitely this was on the job.

Do you think this shows the kind of judgment we want in an elected official? This mayor believes it doesn't and has apologized profusely and promises never to do it again. If you and all those who are okay with elected officials preying on interns want that to be okay then the intern job description should be changed. Of course the young man didn't feel victimized. Don't you remember how it felt when you were young and somebody really important singled you out for attention? It felt like an honor. Either we don't want interns around elected officials or we want the elected officials to confine their romances to their private lives.

reply to post by earlywatcher


Then I take back my statements about his family. I’m sure I saw two articles about his wife, family, but they may have just been an unsubstantiated blog, yikes.

As a Portlander, I have to say that to me, it doesn't matter what he does with his sex life and while a lot of people are voting in polls asking him to resign, I am of the camp that is ok with him staying in office. If people are so bothered by the whole affair then a recall should be started in 6 months, but I would not sign my signature on the ones that would be needed for a recall. Yes he lied, but I don't know what I would do in that situation. No one does until they are and who am I to judge him. I just say give him a chance to prove himself as a mayor and then see where we stand down the road.

In his statement, Adams said he would "work harder than I ever have in my life" to help see the city through

reply to post by wisefoolishness


Sounds like Sam took a lesson in working and lieing from Bill Clinton!

Oregonians love their liberals so will probably keep him. Besides he has the backing of the gay- lesbians, what more do you need?

Also, if Blago can get away with anything in liberal Illinois, why can't Sam do the same in liberal Portland??? Just go back to work and ignore them!

reply to post by Telafree


I agree with you. I don't like what he did but it's in the past. Unless he does something outrageous in the next 6 months, I won't be supporting a recall. Our last mayor used to pout at times when he didn't get his way, and not show up for council meetings. Maybe this mayor will be an improvement. He now has 6 months to show us!

The story gets creepier.

The truly extraordinary reporter who broke this story in Portland, Nigel Jaquiss, continues his investigation. It seems that one of the people who originally accused Adams of having sex with the intern Breedlove was accused by Adams of having ulterior motives in making the "false" accusation. Adams's accusation was made in an interview on Jan 15. Adams says that John Vezina made the accusation because Vezina (who dated Adams for a time) tried himself to rape Breedlove. This was never reported to the police and Vezina, now working in Alaska for Senator Mark Begich, categorically denies the charge and even Adams has backed off on this claim. He now says that Vezina's ulterior motive for making the accusation (which Adams now admits was true) was that Vezina was mad that Adams lied about his whereabouts on a particular weekend (it was the weekend Adams spent with Breedlove two weeks after his 18th birthday). Don't just take my word for this sordid tale, and I have certainly left out juicy details, read the article and even listen to excerpts from the conversation between the reporter and Adams on Jan 15.
Sex, lies, and audiotape

So now what do we do about this mayor? He made a pattern out of launching nasty personal attacks against people who told politically damaging things about him that he now admits were true. He lied about it, covered it up long enough to get elected, then was exposed but has decided not to resign. So is that it? Does it mean that if a politician does something really icky but manages to get it covered up until after the election, then we're stuck with him?

In this case it's possible they will find some criminal wrong doing, if they decide that kissing is considered sexual contact, then Adams could be charged because Breedlove admits that happened before his 18th birthday, but if Adams is not, then this is one big reward for the lie and coverup/turning revelations into occasion for personal attack style of politics.

reply to post by earlywatcher


Wow.


This is getting to be much more crazy than I ever imagined the situation becoming!

This is the main problem I have had with this story since I first read it. I don't care really who he has sex with, although an employee is close to being out of bounds, it is the fact that he lied about the whole thing, and now he is doing other stuff to cover it up.

Thank you for sharing more of the story earlywatcher.

it's fun to be amateur reporter on this story...

an interesting complication. Adams has hired a prominent criminal attorney to represent him in the case to be investigated by the attorney general (charges $400 to $500 an hour) and there is speculation about how Adams will pay him. Adams is not wealthy and a law was passed that prevents him from dipping into campaign funds, so he has to get special permission from the Ethics to open an account that will be overseen by someone other than him, and that other person has to go around and ask supporters for funds, then file regular reports on all this. The whole case could get really expensive because the AG will be subpoenaing emails and other documentation that shows when the relationship started AND to determine if anybody else was involved in the coverup. This is gonna drag on and take away Adams attention from city matters.

speaking of city matters, the regular city council meeting was this morning and it seems that some people came wanting to talk about whether the mayor could do his job properly in light of what happened, but they were prevented from speaking by the mayor because they weren't on the agenda! nor did they sign up a few days ahead of time at the auditor's office (the other way to be allowed to speak) since the mayor didn't decide to to stay on until sunday night.

As someone that lives in Portland, I can tell yoyu that this isnt going to come down to his resigning over the relationship. The issue is going to be, that he lied under oath about it. Big oops