Sex scandal threatens to derail Adams

[julius]

He gave a job to both a reporter who knew the details and also to the "intern"/lover, which could be construed as a conflict of interest.

The lengths people will go to explain away the faults of polticians on "their team" never ceases to amaze me.

The length people will go to bitch about something thats not important.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Yah, he kept it quiet about a personal relationship he had with another adult.

The bastard.

I don't know how I feel about all this . . . but he didn't just keep quiet, he lied about it. And if I understand this right, when someone raised the issue, he lied about it said it didn't happen and then used it against the person who raised the issue.

I love politicians . . . us posters here could only wish to have the ability to twist issues around the way they do (we try, just aren't good at it). I love it, accuse me of this, I will lie and make people believe it never happened, then use it against the perosn who brought it up and only after elected will I let the public in on what really happened.

Again I don't know how I feel about all this because I think Adams is good for Ptd . . . but I do know that it was masterfully played by Sam.

 

[blue32]

bleh, he should resign if he's the "taker" in the relationship.... plus I believe he wanted to support more of those god damned green boxes for bikers....

fucking bicyclists....blowin stop signs, going on sidewalks when its convenient, not obeying the laws of the road bastards.

 

[julius]

I don't know how I feel about all this . . . but he didn't just keep quiet, he lied about it.

He lied about a relationship with another adult that is none of our business. Republican, Democrat, it doesn't matter to me. If you're two adults, it's none of my business.

And if I understand this right, when someone raised the issue, he lied about it said it didn't happen and then used it against the person who raised the issue.

That's not something thats worth getting all bent out of shape (that some people seem to be doing). Not necessarily talking about you.

 

[AgentDrazenPetrovic]

He lied about a relationship with another adult that is none of our business. Republican, Democrat, it doesn't matter to me. If you're two adults, it's none of my business.

That's not something thats worth getting all bent out of shape (that some people seem to be doing). Not necessarily talking about you.

Its not only another adult, it was a teenage boy who he seemingly targeted as a man in a position of power. The question which is being investigated, and the key factor IMO, is if there was any sex when the boy was 17.

Not that I really care, I think the age of consent should be 16 anyways.

 

[barfo]

The other fun thing about this story is the kid's name, Beau Breedlove. If he decides to become a porn star he won't even have to change his name.

barfo

 

[AgentDrazenPetrovic]

Bob Ball!

Sam Adams!

Beau Breedlove!

in...The Oregon Trail...to my asscrack!

 

[julius]

Its not only another adult, it was a teenage boy who he seemingly targeted as a man in a position of power. The question which is being investigated, and the key factor IMO, is if there was any sex when the boy was 17.

Not that I really care, I think the age of consent should be 16 anyways.

If he did end up having a sexual relationship with someone who was under 18 (like Goldschmidt) he should be removed from office and from public view.

If he was 18 at the time, I don't care nor do I think it's something that ever should've been brought up.

 

[julius]

The other fun thing about this story is the kid's name, Beau Breedlove. If he decides to become a porn star he won't even have to change his name.

barfo

I would guess that's not his real name. Although, you have to admit he's surely living up to his namesake.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

He lied about a relationship with another adult that is none of our business. Republican, Democrat, it doesn't matter to me. If you're two adults, it's none of my business.



That's not something thats worth getting all bent out of shape (that some people seem to be doing). Not necessarily talking about you.

Well if he straight out lied about his relationship with another adult . . . how can we be sure he didn't lie about how old the kid/man was when they first had sex?

Personally, I don't think he would (have sex with a 17 yr old) because in his position, he must realize the consequences if he did. But if there were no consequences, morally, I don't think the boy's age would stop him.

I'm not overly bent out of shape. I do wonder if his justification for lying is it is no ones business (I tend to agree) then why did he feel compelled to tell the truth about it now after the election.

But hey, as long as the man was 18, I don't care much. Mainly because I think all politican lie and I think Sam will be a good mayor for Ptd.

 

[AgentDrazenPetrovic]

If he did end up having a sexual relationship with someone who was under 18 (like Goldschmidt) he should be removed from office and from public view.

If he was 18 at the time, I don't care nor do I think it's something that ever should've been brought up.

So you don't really care about Adams being in a position of power and the boy possibly getting preferential treatment?

there are a lot of factors here of judgment and impropriety.

 

[barfo]

I would guess that's not his real name. Although, you have to admit he's surely living up to his namesake.

I think it is his real name - if they were protecting his identity, the newspapers wouldn't make up a name for him, and certainly not that one.

barfo

 

[oldmangrouch]

He gave a job to both a reporter who knew the details and also to the "intern"/lover, which could be construed as a conflict of interest.

The latter is a serious charge that needs to be looked into. The former is a joke. I would bet it is only being made because of the animosity between WW and The Mercury.

 

[barfo]

So you don't really care about Adams being in a position of power and the boy possibly getting preferential treatment?

The kid getting preferential treatment? What, some other intern got screwed out of using the copy machine?
Hard to see why anyone should care about an intern getting preferential treatment.

As for Adams being in a position of power (over the kid), was he? The stories say Breedlove was a legislative intern. I think that means to the Oregon legislature, since that's the only legislature around here. Adams was a city commissioner at the time. Certainly Adams had a lot of power compared to Breedlove, but it seems to me that it wasn't power over Breedlove.

barfo

 

[barfo]

The latter is a serious charge that needs to be looked into.

But there doesn't seem to be any factual basis for that charge either. Adams recommended Breedlove for a job in the private sector (at an apartment complex). He didn't hire him himself or get him a job with the city, as far as I've read.

barfo

 

[AgentDrazenPetrovic]

The kid getting preferential treatment? What, some other intern got screwed out of using the copy machine?
Hard to see why anyone should care about an intern getting preferential treatment.

As for Adams being in a position of power (over the kid), was he? The stories say Breedlove was a legislative intern. I think that means to the Oregon legislature, since that's the only legislature around here. Adams was a city commissioner at the time. Certainly Adams had a lot of power compared to Breedlove, but it seems to me that it wasn't power over Breedlove.

barfo

Yeah. However, if you look at Adams' caveliar attitude about it in his earlier quote, I think its pretty shady.

I'm hoping that this gives me an opportunity to talk about the bigger issues here," he added. "Like the fact that it's apparently still not okay to be gay in certain situations. It's as if, because I'm gay, I can't have any meaningful interaction with males under the age of 18.

 

[PapaG]

"The ironic part of this is that even Big Brothers and Big Sisters frequently pairs Queer adults with Queer youth," says Adams. "Not that a straight Big Brother wouldn't be great for a Queer youth, or vice versa, but they have a shared experience. I hope this doesn't have a chilling effect on the mentoring that should go on between Queer youth and adults."
"I'm hoping that this gives me an opportunity to talk about the bigger issues here," he added. "Like the fact that it's apparently still not okay to be gay in certain situations. It's as if, because I'm gay, I can't have any meaningful interaction with males under the age of 18."

Adams admitted in today's Oregonian that his "mentoring" never happened and was never sanctioned by any group. It appears he saw this kid and jumped on the opportunity.

 

[PapaG]

I don't know how I feel about all this . . . but he didn't just keep quiet, he lied about it. And if I understand this right, when someone raised the issue, he lied about it said it didn't happen and then used it against the person who raised the issue.

I love politicians . . . us posters here could only wish to have the ability to twist issues around the way they do (we try, just aren't good at it). I love it, accuse me of this, I will lie and make people believe it never happened, then use it against the perosn who brought it up and only after elected will I let the public in on what really happened.

Again I don't know how I feel about all this because I think Adams is good for Ptd . . . but I do know that it was masterfully played by Sam.

It's not that we aren't good at it, it is that all of our words here are on the record. Look at the soon-to-be Treasury Secretary who evaded taxes for 4 years and didn't confess until the day before he was nominated. You or I would be in jail for what he did. Instead, this guy will run the IRS.

 

[PapaG]

The length people will go to bitch about something thats not important.

See, this is what I mean. Even the Oregonian is now calling on Adams to resign after pimping him for a year. I wonder what more they told him that they later found to be BS?

 

[The_Lillard_King]

I've been giving this some thought and I hope the public lets this go. Go ahead and conduct their criminal investigation, but don't have this lead to public pressure resignation by Adams (police union is requesting that).

I was initially pissed that a high public figure lied to be elected. But checking myself, I realized that although I didn't like the fact Clinton lied (under oath even), I thought he was a great president and the good he does for th country far outweighs getting hung up on lying about a blow job.

Well same thing here. I don't think he was stupid enough to have sex with the intern before he turned 18. So he basically lied about having a fling with a younger male.

Sam Adams is a hard working dedicated public servent . . . the city is lucky to have him as a mayor.

 

[AgentDrazenPetrovic]

So you don't think this will be a huge distraction for Adams to effectively do his job?

Remember, he brought this upon himself.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

He lied about a relationship with another adult that is none of our business. Republican, Democrat, it doesn't matter to me. If you're two adults, it's none of my business.



That's not something thats worth getting all bent out of shape (that some people seem to be doing). Not necessarily talking about you.

In the end, when thinking it all over, I agree with what you are saying .

My intial thoughts were based on being angry about being lied to, but given the circumstances, I could see why he would do it. More importantly i don't think this makes him any less qualified to do his job . . . he lied about a personal matter not gov't business.

 

[PapaG]

In the end, when thinking it all over, I agree with what you are saying .

My intial thoughts were based on being angry about being lied to, but given the circumstances, I could see why he would do it. More importantly i don't think this makes him any less qualified to do his job . . . he lied about a personal matter not gov't business.

The Multnomah County D.A. is investigating this particular point.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

So you don't think this will be a huge distraction for Adams to effectively do his job?

Remember, he brought this upon himself.

I hope not. He said he wasn't going to resign but conceeded that if this did adversly effect his job he would resign.

I think (having not ever taking a poli sci class in my life) that this will blow over relatively quickly and with how busy Adams is with doing his job, I don't think it will effect his job.

I guess it all depends how long the media holds on to this. It does have a lot of sizzle to it.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

The Multnomah County D.A. is investigating this particular point.

Well they are investigating statutory rape and offical misconduct . . . but yes he is being investigated. If charges are brought, which they won't be, then that changes things.

 

[PapaG]

Well they are investigating statutory rape and offical misconduct . . . but yes he is being investigated. If charges are brought, which they won't be, then that changes things.

It used to be that a mayor or any leader under investigation from a (in this case liberal) D.A. would just resign instead of putting the public throught the hassle. How times have changed. Now we have to justify a guy letting his lies unfold one by one, and then he will still be trusted to do what is right for the people of this ever-depressed city.

Been downtown lately? It's ugly with the explosion of homeless/insane. For the first time in years, I won't even stop to look at someone asking me a question.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

It used to be that a mayor or any leader under investigation from a (in this case liberal) D.A. would just resign instead of putting the public throught the hassle. How times have changed. Now we have to justify a guy letting his lies unfold one by one, and then he will still be trusted to do what is right for the people of this ever-depressed city.

Been downtown lately? It's ugly with the explosion of homeless/insane. For the first time in years, I won't even stop to look at someone asking me a question.

Times have changed. Now every single report of child abuse has to be investigated at some level. ever since Ward Weaver, no complaint gets ignored.

So if there was a clear case against Adams, he would resign. But this investigation will not turn up any evidence (because there is none, IMO), and no charges will be brought. Why should he resign?

But I know the rhetoric, point to all the bad of today's society while comparing it to the good old days. Then point to the man in charge and blame him for all the problems. Only Adams just got into office . . . if you want to blame someone, blame Potter.

 

[barfo]

It used to be that a mayor or any leader under investigation from a (in this case liberal) D.A. would just resign instead of putting the public throught the hassle.

The DA would still do the investigation whether he resigns or not. Not sure what hassle the public goes through in this case.

Been downtown lately?

Every day.

It's ugly with the explosion of homeless/insane.

Do they rant about things that are completely unconnected to the topic of discussion?

barfo

 

[PapaG]

Do they rant about things that are completely unconnected to the topic of discussion?

barfo

Commenting on the city of Portland is completely unconnected to a thread about the mayor of Portland?

 

[PapaG]

Yep, no big deal at all. A total overreaction by those on the board calling for him to resign.

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/01/adams_stays_home_as_support_cr.html

Adams stays home as support crumbles

by Anna Griffin and Ryan Frank, The Oregonian
Wednesday January 21, 2009, 10:00 PM

More on Adams

• Latest news and previous coverage
Mayor Sam Adams holed up in his North Portland house Wednesday, making phone calls and apologizing, but every sign -- from eroding support among gay and lesbian leaders to the deafening silence from Adams' political mentors to his own tone of voice -- signaled resignation.

"I've been involved in Oregon politics for a long time, and I obviously understand people's anger and frustration," Adams said Wednesday.

His somber tone was striking in contrast to the firm determination to stay in office he expressed earlier this week.

The question, Adams and other civic leaders said, is whether he has the credibility -- or can regain the credibility -- to recruit businesses, convince state legislators to spend more money on education and roads, lobby federal leaders for money and represent Portland around the world. Adams built his successful 2008 campaign for mayor on his ability to serve as the city's leading cheerleader, marketer and strategist.

"Portland isn't San Francisco, it's not Los Angeles, it's not the federal level. We have a standard for our politicians, and I violated that standard," he said. "I need to take some time to figure out what's best for Portlanders, but I'm not going to drag it out. There's too much work to do."

Adams admitted that he had a sexual relationship with an 18-year-old Oregon legislative intern in the summer of 2005, that he repeatedly lied about the relationship and asked the young man to lie to help him get elected mayor.

Adams and Beau Breedlove, now 21, initially said that they became friends when Breedlove sought Adams' advice on how to be gay in political life. In truth, Adams said, he and Breedlove expressed some romantic attraction to each other from the very beginning -- though he said they waited until a few weeks after Breedlove turned 18, the age of consent, to have sex. The "mentoring part of it" was largely a lie, Adams has said.

On Wednesday, The Oregonian, the Portland Tribune, the Portland Business Journal and Just Out, a Portland-based news magazine covering gays and lesbians, all called for his resignation.

That last publication may not be a household name to many Oregonians, but its condemnation is a particularly bitter and significant blow for Adams, the first openly gay mayor of a top-40 U.S. city.