For the past six months, we here in Portland, Oregon have been riveted by the drama of our current mayor, Sam Adams. Back in January- ands on the day that our new president was parading through the streets of Washington, District of Columbia enjoying his inauguration- Adams confessed that he lied about the relationship he had with a young intern, Beau Breedlove. when they met in March 2005, Adams was a Portland city commissioner, and Breedlove was the intern of Republican state representative Kimberly Thatcher, of Keizer (ironically, Ms. Thatcher is likely endorse gay bashing...if you catch my drift. So wonder boy-toy Beau is still breathing and walking today...). So, the new attorney general, John Kroger- who had battled mob figures and Enron- opened up an investigation into whether Adams had inappropriate relations with Breedlove, in violation of Oregon Revised Statutes 163.415, the crime of engaging in inter alia, or sexual contact with a person under 18 in the third degree, a Class C misdemeanor; ORS 163.435, the crime of contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor, a Class A misdemeanor; and ORS 163.445 (1), sexual misconduct with a person under 18, a Class C misdemeanor.
According to the report from KGW NewsChannel 8, the AG's report found that there is no evidence of underage sex with Breedlove; no criminal misconduct on Adams' part; and no evidence of "theft by deception". The report goes on to say that Breedlove "was not a credible witness".
The effort to recall mayor Adams goes on, according to Jasun Wuerster, head of the website Recall Sam Adams (http://www.recallsamadams.org/ ), will go forward beginning July 7. The group needs 50,000 or more signatures in 90 days, and according to Wuerster- as told to NewsRadio 750 KXL and national syndicated host Lars Larson- the group faces a "partisan" group in the form of Secretary of State Kate Brown. But the history of recall efforts against past mayors favor Adams- not one recall vote had succeeded here in Portland. Now, I voted for Sam- hey, I felt that it was nice to bring history here in the Rose City- he became the first openly gay mayor of a major US city. However, when he confessed that he had "inappropriate relations" with Beau Breedlove on inauguration day, at first, I just shrugged it off. But the next day, as I learned more, i wrote a letter to the mayor chastising him for his relationship. After all, I- like many Portlanders- was crushed.
This report says that there has been insufficient evidence to criminally charge Adams with any wrongdoing. As for myself voting for his recall or not, the jury's still out.
(C) 2009 by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.
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