Something tells me this isn't going to make all of the "Sam Adams is a pedo" people go away.

That pedo stuff is tiresome to hear. There is so much else troubling about him in office that is of substance. This was just dust being kicked up.

", there are serious questions about the credibility of Breedlove's account"

And Adams is so credible.

I do not care what Adams does with his private time. Its what Adams is doing with his public time that concerns me. I would prefer a mayor who cares more about social justice and less about developers/monied interests. I know, I kno...in PDX this type of thinking is pure fantasy.

The report doesn't clear Adams of anything. Rather, it says there is not sufficent evidence to warrant prosecution. That is quite different than reporting that the evidence exonerates him.

That's right Richard. The AG is saying he believes the mayor to be more credible than Breedlove. The AG has not been paying attention. It was Sam Adams who described Breedlove as a credible young man with an exemplary character. It sounds from the release that Breedlove now asserts something did occur. Since when does the AG get to decide credibility? I thought that was the job of juries or the court. Would an admitted long passionate kiss and admitted sexual attraction not lead a "responsible" prosecutor to believe something more could have occurred?

Still a pedo too.

"I'm really happy about this, not just for Sam but for the people of Portland," said Leonard, who was originally angry at Adams for lying to him about his relationship with Breedlove.

Randy Leonard is the winner today. Sam has been wounded with his admitted lying, corrupt behavior and resulting diminished political clout. He may still have to face a recall election.

Having a politically crippled Sam in the Mayor’s chair leaves Randy the most powerful force on the council.

"I do not care what Adams does with his private time. Its what Adams is doing with his public time that concerns me."

My sense is that after the AG report, that would be a stronger leg for the recall to stand on.

Esp. if the whole "put everything else on the back burner, we MUST have major league soccer in Portland" effort blows up.

While waiting for someone to turn 17 appears a little unseemly, it would seem that he did wait. Mr. Breedloves's expose in Unzipped does not make him sympathetic. It is time to move on. Hopefully this gives the Mayor a chance to regain his footing. The city of Portland will be better served for it.

Got go the AG is coming on.

"No matter how you slice it, you can pretty much wave goodbye to any serious recall effort, kids."

Gee mom, does this mean you support Adams staying and think he is a good mayor?

doretta,

By careful reading, I mean actually reading. Refer to the conclusory paragraph wherein it is reported that there is no evidence of sexual intercourse with a minor, theft by deception, or official misconduct but that there is evidence of sexual contact with a minor (in the form of Breedlove's statement). That evidence, in the AG's view, is insufficiently credible to support a prosecution. The lack of corroboration may make for a bad case, but it doesn't necessarily mean the evidence is false.

This decision will only serve as another beacon to encourage others of Sam's ilk to continue their culture without accountability of the resulting behaviors from that culture.

Sam has still got to go.

Hey hetero men, next time you leer at a girl who looks twenty but is only seventeen, I want you to repeat after me, "I am a pedo".

Got it? Jesus christ.

"No evidence", except for 17 year old's sworn statements.

"No evidence", except for 17 year old's sworn statements."

In the AG's press conference he said that neither Adams nor Breedlove were asked questions under oath

I agree with what LT said above that this puts the recall effort on a stronger leg now that it will not be about sex. Plenty of Democrats, who are the one's who would choose a replacement, don't like the handouts to the wealthy and paving of our parks that Adams, Leonard and Saltzman have made on Portlanders behalf. The recall effort is the only venue available for public input that they would be unable to ignore.

The one's calling for the recall effort to end are, for the most part, the same people who want the taxpayers to pay for sports stadiums.

Yes because Sam has no financial interests in Breedlove being 18 during their tryst nor prior inconsistent statements made to the entire city. ROTFLMAO.

The AG has chickened out. Sex abuse case of the less famous have long been credibility contests because neither "consenting underage minors" nor their "mentors," tend to bring witnesses or video cameras to their clandestine hook-ups.

Leering and lecherous behavior isn't the issue here, going all the way with the underaged is. No one can credibly defend that Sam didn't know how old, or not, his paramour was, as he was an intern, not a street hustler.

Adams only cares about Adams.

--Does it matter to anyone that Adams lied to Portlanders about Bob Ball during the campaign, purely for political gain?

The long-ago meetings became a public matter because Pearl District developer Bob Ball, who, like Adams, was considering a mayoral run, raised questions about whether the relationship between Adams and Breedlove was sexual.

Because Breedlove was 17 years old and a minor when he first met Adams, then 42, the corollary question was not just if it happened, but when.

Ball—who, like Adams, is gay—spoke to his then-close friend, City Commissioner Randy Leonard, in August 2007.

In WW’s story (“Mayor’s Race Off to Brutal Beginning,” WWire, Sept. 17, 2007), Adams acknowledged meeting Beau Breedlove during a trip to Salem.

They met again in the spring and early summer of 2005, including a lunch at the downtown Macaroni Grill and a dinner on June 9, 2005, at the Lotus Cafe near City Hall.

Adams had also said that he and a friend drove down to Salem for Breedlove’s 18th birthday party on June 25, 2005.

Adams, now 45, also acknowledged then that his encounters with Breedlove distressed his staff, because they looked inappropriate.

“We made it clear that Sam should be careful,” Adams’ chief of staff Tom Miller told WW in 2007.

At the time, Adams said he was mentoring Breedlove, and both men said their relationship was just platonic. And Adams claimed Ball was engaged in a dirty tricks campaign.

“I have been the target of a nasty smear by a would-be political opponent,” wrote Adams in a Sept. 18, 2007, email released to the public. “I didn’t get into public life to allow my instinct to help others to be snuffed out by fear of sleazy misrepresentations or political manipulation.”

--And does it matter that Adams lied about the reason his spokeman, Wade Nkrumah, resigned? It apparently matters to Nkrumah who is suing Adams for damage to his reputation.

“In fact, when Claimant resigned, and Adams stated that stress was a reason, Claimant made it clear to Adams that ’stress’ was not an issue,” according to the notice of tort claim. “Rather it was Adams’ lying as a public official (with ethical obligations to avoid even the appearance of impropriety and a duty to treat the office of mayor as a public trust) that created intolerable working conditions. Adams’ continued issuance of false statements to the electorate made it impossible to continue in good conscience as his spokesperson. As Claimant informed Adams: ‘The reason I am resigning is because of the lies.”

Thank god that's over... it was such a distraction from the real city business of forking over our civic credit cards to Merritt Paulson and tearing up the last PGE Park remodel before we're done paying for it.

Where's my damn baseball stadium, Sam?

I listened to excerpts of the Report from Kroger as well as Q&A on the radio. Apparently the investigation was not conducted by a Grand Jury and in OR, lying to a law enforcement officer is not a crime. Therefor none of those interviewed had anything at risk if they chose to lie or answer with less than truthful answers.

Kroger said that the investigation did not turn up sufficient evidence to successfully prosecute. that is good enough for me on the criminal accusations. However, the voters of Portland still should have an opportunity to weigh in on how their mayor acted and his lying during the campaign.

"... the voters of Portland still should have an opportunity to weigh in on how their mayor acted and his lying during the campaign"

They will have an opportunity, at the next election.

With the criminal allegations disposed of in Adams' favor, any further recall efforts are nothing more than sour grapes.

Sam won. Get over it. Move on.

”I hope those who've been on the fence about this are paying attention to who's going to be on their team if they join the recall effort.”

Sad to see there are elements out there who would seek to divide our fair city using identity politics. I’m shocked!

Unethical behavior by a politician effects us all, regardless of political philosophy or personal self-interest.

Portland’s gay community owes no allegiance to Sam. He’s an admitted liar who played the gay card in disgraceful attempts to lie his way out of self-inflected problems.

Sadly, he has let us all down, gay, straight, bi, bi-curious, trans, trans-fat, GLBT, BLT... is that everyone?

So folks in the GLBT acronym clique are willing to further dilute what little remaining power is in a charge of "homophobia" to protect a shithead like Sam Adams?

I guess picking one's battles is only for straights.

I think this homo sam should get tested for AIDS.....

But I'm not interested in setting a precedent that we're going to recall an elected official because we don't like some policy choice they've made along the way. I'd hope that the recall advocates would avoid making this about silliness like the baseball stadium,

Without hijacking the thread, recall should be a valid option for removing elected officials for both ethical AND policy reasons. Just because someone is elected does not mean they can pursue any policy issue with impunity. Recall is specifically designed to be difficult but not impossible, so that if a large majority disagree with the elected official, he can be removed.

I personally support bringing MLS to Portland and building a new baseball stadium, and I think there is a level of public subsidy that is appropriate for that kind of thing. But thousands of my fellow Portlanders do not. I can imagine a situation where, absent any other scandal, three commissioners push through a massive, $100 million general fund subsidy, taking money from Police and Parks and giving it to sports. That kind of decision should absolutely be subject to recall. There is nothing wrong with citizens banding together to remove an elected official who pushes something through that they disagree with. And I think the Portland process is sufficiently difficult enough to dissuade frivolous recall attempts.

BlueO 2.0?

Hey jeff.....SHUT YOUR MOUTH. PERHAPS YOU NEED AN AIDS TEST TOO.

I think this town should chill out. There's lots of disappointment and anger mixed with smug gloating. I think we need to accept what has happened and relax. We don't need to be referred to as "kids" by Carla - no matter how pleased she is about the result today. This is a time to act like adults and keep it together. Forget the anti-gay stuff. Think Marvin Gaye: "We don't need to escalate."

Carla, Yeah, so you said twice now that "no serious recall effort can be mounted against Adams after this."

Is there some reason you haven't revealed your preference? You're obviously trying to discourage recall participation by casting it as impossible.

Do you want him recalled?

He's obviously a scumbag. Homosexual or not Adams has shown himself to be without any ethics, dignity or standards in either his personal, business or
political conduct.

He has an affair with an 18 ot 17 yeard old, He smashes into a car and gets out with his "fly down and pants unbuttponed." He repeatedly lied to get elected, Lied about it later, Call others liars, Falls well behind on financial obligations, and now he'll allow Kroger to cast Breedlove as the liar to avoid procesution and recall?

Carla, you of all people, having so much experience detecting scumbags, should be joining Marc Abrams in supporting the recall.

Not because Adams is a gay scumbag. Just a scumbag.

And it's amazing that Kroger is calling Breedlove a liar.

Sam must have laughed his ass off when reading the opinion.

Too bad Beau has been lost in all of this. Here is a gay teen, the alleged victim of sex abuse, and he is dismissed because he changed his story. Not a first for sex abuse victims, who often lie in the beginning to protect their abuser. Investigators know this better than anyone else. Now he is labeled not credible, and a liar, and anyone critical of Sam may be homophobic? Kind of ironic and sad.

Fair point. Yes, I would presume there are conservative elements that would do this for the sole reason Sam is gay.

The mere fact that almost every time the recall effort is reported on Victoria Taft manages to weasel her way into the story proves this. Despite Jasun Wurster's efforts (I respect him but disagree with him) the recall effort will most likely be taken over by the Victoria Tafts and Lars Larsons of the world. I don't see any way to gather that many signatures without tapping into that lot.

If you can't do it now you can stick a fork into the recall effort the first time a newspaper, magazine, news station gets a picture or quote from an anti-Sam folk that is blatantly homophobic. I don't see any way that's not going to happen.

Since when is being a scumbag a crime, or even worthy of recall?

See if this sinks in, at all.

This is absolute, complete non-news to those who have made this an issue of integrity.

Anyone with a brain would make the age of consent something much more reasonable- like 12- and never GAVE A GOOD GODDAMN WHO HE FUCKED OR WHY. Virgil Breedlove, Jr. don't enter into it! But then, brains don't hang out here much, it seems.

So, Kari, you are now solidly in the camp of those who say the sex matters! If it doesn't then this doesn't either. I assume you don't waste bandwidth, so you were lying when you said it wasn't about the sex. I don't know which of you is a bigger fuckup as a progressive.

Anyone that still cares about integrity can submit proposals for the [trademark violation redacted -editor.], to [email protected]. Don't just get mad at this non-journalism; throw it back...and with interest.

Its not an issue of integrity, it is an issue of how a person's culture supercedes thier inherent common sense because we have unwittingly encouraged them to enbrace thier culture and make it more important than common sense to the point that common sense doesn't exist anymore.

“This decision will only serve as another beacon to encourage others of Sam's ilk to continue their culture without accountability of the resulting behaviors from that culture. Sam has still got to go.”

I doubt if I’d support Sam for another term, depending of course on who would be running against him, but there’s no way in hell I would sign a recall effort petition considering the local conservatives, namely Lars Larson and Victoria Taft, who are pushing so hard to make political hay on this unseemly episode. Their motives are not pure here. There’s an unmistakable anti-gay stain on this recall.

I have such a visceral disgust for Larson and Taft, their incessant bellyaching and bashing of Portland (and the fact that Larson doesn’t even live in this state makes its worse) that anything they touch or advocate is immediately tainted.

More damage will be done to Portland if Adams is recalled than will allow him to serve out his term.

Murphy, You could not be more irrational. Adams is the disgusting one here.

Your visceral disgust for Larson and Taft have you deaf, dumb and blind.

There's a lot about Portland that earns the "incessant bellyaching and bashing". That's why informed progressives like Bill McDonald, Jack Bodanski and many others have long ago joined the condemnation of Portland policy makers.

Larson grew up here and works in Portland so your attempt to taint him for living out of state is lame.

Anything Creepy touches or advocates is immediately tainted.

The crap about more damage by his removal is pure nonsense.

what's hysterical is that all the straight guys slamming Sam ogle young girls every time they pass a fashion magazine, and spend their nights drinking at the sports bar talking about the ones they nailed and the ones that got away.

Separate and apart from what Sam did to who, and when he did it, can we pay a little attention to the whitewash coming from our tough-talking AG? So the guy who claimed he would prosecute anyone, anytime, anywhere, couldn't find grounds to prosecute a perjuring public official?? Might it be a political payback? Or just coincidence that Kroger's consultant was also Adams' lead liar?

Should'va voted for Sho

Should've voted 4 SHO.

”But is that a reason - in this economy - to tear our city apart trying to recall someone obviously technically suited for his job?”

On this point we agree, a recall will divide the city even more than it has been since Sam came clean in January.

The best way to avoid a recall and it's effects is for Sam to do the honorable thing, admit he violated the public trust with his unethical behavior, and resign.

At least then he would gain back a little of the public respect he has squandered.

Thank you Alicia. My point. Let me tell you guys, you have more than once in your life gotten next to a girl younger than you thought she was, and learned it later... or did it ANYWAY. And it's no more terrible for a gay man to lasciviate the gay youth who is lusting him back than your daily staring and running the energy as you walk down the street with your wife, your mate, your girlfriend, hell, even with your little daughter in tow, learning how she is supposed to be regarded and treated by men.

Ask US what the leering does to us and for us, a real two edged sword.

Eric: whuhhhh?

I think you are TRYING to make a byzantine-PC statement that, essentially, "Gay men will jump anything boy that breathes. We encouraged Sam to enjoy his animal nature"... ????????

A whitewash of the lies plain and simple! Kroger has been a real disappointment on this issue. There may not have been enough evidence to convict Adams with a criminal offence for a sex related crime, but Kroger did not appear to investigate Adams abusing his power relating to his lies, conspiracy of a cover up, bribing Breedlove with money, smearing his opposition to get elected, etc. Adams is a clever corrupt politician that has gotten away with his indiscretions by suggesting transparency while manipulating his agenda and the media, hand picking yes people only for members of citizen committees and keeping his support base like bicyclists happy by giving them what they want at the expense of others. Anyplace other than in Oregon, Adams would thrown out of office on his rear. Adams is a real jerk and doesn't deserve the privilege to being the Mayor of Portland.

I am a died-in-the-wool liberal who believes Sam Adams has embarrassed the City and should resign today. He's an ambitious phony who is unqualified to hold office and certainly undeserving of our trust.

I don't understand people who talk about what an accomplished technocrat he is. I find the opposite to be true. He can spout facts and figures but he can't make coherent sense of them and see the big picture. This is a man who has serious character faults. He is a flawed individual with a long history of poor decision making. He has a personal bankruptcy on his record; two of his three homes are being foreclosed on; he was caught making out in the men's room at city hall with a minor; he lied about his relationship with Breedlove and then coached Breedlove to do the same; he recklessly rammed his truck into another vehicle recently, then emerged from the truck with the zipper of his pants down; he zigs and zags from one political position to another without rhyme or reason; he spent most of his years as a commissioner undermining the efforts of Mayor Potter; and he is careless with public money, an advocate of many unnecessary projects, including the tram, the Sauvie Island Bridge transplant, and the PGE Park/Lents fiasco, to name just a few.

I believe Adams thinks and cares only about himself. He has built a curious coalition of leftish leaning urbanites who see themselves reflected in his quirky nerdiness, but he is predisposed to underserve the rest of Portland, which is to say his focus is on serving a very narrow minority of interest groups at the expense of most of us.

Adams is not a clear thinker and often gets himslef tangled up in knots. Take for example the fiasco with MLS and PGE Park. Adams likes the idea of bringing MLS to Portland, so he supports the renovation of PGE Park, with some public money at risk. Because this means PGE Park would no longer be able to work for baseball, he supports using public money to build a new minor league baseball park -- somewhere. He is in a rush to get this done because MLS is demanding a renovated PGE Park as a condition to awarding the franchise. Maybe the Memorial Coliseum site will work for a new baseball park -- oops, that would cost a lot plus there are a surprising number of people who are attached to the ugly old box. Lents is the perfect place, it's the only solution, we have to have a decision this week -- oops, residents there surprisingly see it differently and are reluctant to give up such a large piece of their open space. So he backs off on that, then decides in his mind that the need to renovate PGE Park and the need for a new baseball stadium are in no way linked. He announces this to the media Friday. The City groans. Our fool of a mayor believes because he says it is so, that these two initiatives, which are undeniably connected, have no connection. The emperor has no clothes.

He is foolish and handles the City's business with the same poor judgement as he handles his personal business.

I am a strong supporter of a recall but hope Adams will do the right thing and resign.

Posted by: Eric Parker | Jun 23, 2009 7:54:28 AM

Its not an issue of integrity, it is an issue of how a person's culture supercedes thier inherent common sense because we have unwittingly encouraged them to enbrace thier culture and make it more important than common sense to the point that common sense doesn't exist anymore.

Have the balls to say "fuck the fags" if that's what you mean, as it obviously is. No, it isn't about the sex means we reject him AND you. Equally reprehensible shitheads.

the Mercury found Sam quite effective overall in his first 100 days, even with a bunch of people obsessed with his private life

Mayor or Monster

Mike well articulates the rationalist position on this. Why is that such an impossible position for BO to take? Do you realize how much damage BO is doing the local Democratic party by supporting party over the considerations Mike articulates?

I can't see where Sam has ever made a decision that wasn't vetted by Vera, and she isn't saying "resign". In my eyes, her high profile goes to hell in a handbasket if she doesn't. Sam made about 1,000,000 errors, for no better reason that it was marginally easier than the alternative. People like that are mentally lazy and will NEVER do what is not strictly required.

He trashed "hope and changes" inauguration and did not give one damn. Why can Dem hacks not understand that we WILL NOT put up with a hopeless liar for Mayor, just as when we have reason for a glimmer of hope. Obama has turned out to be a fraud. Sam's within reach, equally- more- guilty, and he's gonna get the whuppin'!

Re: 2.0:

This will only allow the powers that be to more carefully delete messages to the left of the DP. They want the debate to be squarely centered on right vs. far right, e.g. "public option" vs. unrestrained corporate power.

The Adams matter is a smoke screen. There are important issues to consider, and his sexuality is not one of them.

Posted by: Dave Porter | Jun 22, 2009 7:29:23 PM

I'm ready to move on. Mayor Adams has defined a very full agenda. I like most of it. I'd like to see him putting all his energies in on those issues not trying to win a recall election.

That's what I said about OHSU. That's what I've said about every project he's been associated with. When did we get what was described to us, during the "vision phase"? The January incident showed us why. Now, why do you think the new projects will be different? This will be the main question we, at least, will ask, going door to door in a recall effort.

Lots of talented people with great vision should be Portland Mayor. Why should Sam get another chance? On balance, wouldn't you agree it might be symptomatic that Sam needs to get his first real job? Look at his resume. That's not work. That's professional pandering and ass kissing and getting to tell your teen-age friends that you're the MJ Fox of Portland.

Posted by: Richard | Jun 22, 2009 7:07:13 PM

And it's amazing that Kroger is calling Breedlove a liar.

I really don't think this is an accurate characterization of what the AG is doing. He did not say that Breedlove is lying. He has no way to be sure if Breedlove is lying or not. Instead the AG is saying that Breedlove's credibility would be impeached, and probably quite successfully, were he a witness at a criminal trial.

Look, the bottom line here is that if the AG were to charge Mayor Adams with any kind of illegal sexual contact with a minor, the state would very likely lose at trial. Is a jury really going to be convinced beyond all reasonable doubt that this actually happened? Of course not. It is not completely unreasonable to believe that Breedlove might be dishonest, given his past inconsistent statements. If the AG thought they would win, he would charge the crime. Because he thinks they would lose, he is doing what a responsible prosecutor is supposed to. Drop it.

That is not the same thing as saying that Breedlove is lying. Personally I think that Breedlove is probably telling the truth. But I wouldn't charge the case either, and if I were on the jury I would vote to acquit. The standard is proof is not "Is the defendant probably guilty?" We do not convict people who are probably guilty. We convict people who are almost certainly guilty. The AG - being a more than competent prosecutor - knows that.

The other point that seems to keep getting lost in here is this question of why nobody was brought before a grand jury.

Unless I am mistaken - none of the crimes that were being investigated were felonies. They were all misdemeanors. With very rare exceptions, grand juries are not convened for misdemeanors. It's just not the way things are done. And even if one was convened, the mayor cannot be compelled to testify before it. Defendants have an absolute right to not be compelled to testify against themselves. Defendants don't get called before a grand jury in their own case. Often they don't even know it's going on. Again, this is just the way the criminal justice system works.

Mike, I have found Adams to be a buffoon who tricked me. But you cite "long history" of getting in trouble, and also "often getting himself in tangles", yet you only have one example to cite. MLS. So, BESIDES MLS, what are you quoting? What long history do you reference here?

I am not saying I disagree - the guy is a fucking twit. But I don't like it when people build a case without presenting a case.

Tell us what else there is to know - SPECIFICALLY - aside from his breathless excitement to lick the kneecaps of MLS.

.... did not mean to sound anti-gay, either. Kneecaps comment was to express how incredibly embarrassing it is for me to watch this guy [our mayor, I guess] stand before the cameras just about to wet his pants he is SOoooooo excited to be noticed by the Paulsons.... it's so embarrassing.

H. Wolf - you are full of shit on the paranoia about deletions; and right on about the bullshit deflection of focus hoped-for by highlighting the Sssssssssssssssssexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Scaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaandallllllllllllssssssss.

For some it would appear the description used, no evidence, will not be enough. During the search for witches they developed several procedures to eliminate doubt. Attaching a rope and dragging a woman the length of a pond underwater was one test. If she drowned she was guilty.

How easily we could return to this comes to mind listening to some gay men express their feelings about the mayor. Having been the victims of the broad brush of pedo (Boats) they can not forgive the mayor.

How progressive is that?

Have the balls to say "fuck the fags"..

I don't need to. They already do that themselves.

Excuse me Marv, but we were enRAGED at the asshole Edwards for setting us ALL back hugely with that STUPID lie he carried around during the election.

This ai'nt just gay-straight politics, this is POLITICS.

Don't be a jerk and keep explosive secrets and lies and then run for freakin' office.

Don't whine WHEN it comes out!

Good example of how criminalizing everything leads to LESS law and order.

I was at the holiday party when Sam was still in a partying mood, and quietly asked about the relationship. His attitude was that people didn't get it. That got me going, which he thought was funny, that it wasn't what he meant. Finally, he said, "he has a criminal record".

I did not get that at all. I'm that stupid. Today, reading Kroger's report, I finally get it. That's what you have to do to get by in politics. That's why BO and Sam are taking a mature stance.

What is important is that we don't have Republicans in office! How can you not see that, so soon after having to live 8 years with a chief executive that is a war criminal, self-confessed dry drunk, lying, hypocritical, corporate stooge, that is too stupid to understand what he didn't know!!!

Politics is about power. Forget that and you'll being forever paying their paycheck, never drawing it. Most that spend time with BO can envision getting that check. We know what we have to do. Check out the archives. I miss the way Jeff Merkley could wack off a proggie with a stroke. Call him Mr. Senator, the lord high deflector of progressive erections. There are lots of parties. This is where Dems hang out. That is what Dems do. If you don't like it, vote with your feet.

My biggest problem with this whole thing isn't Adams lying, it is Adams and his team having coached Breedlove to lie. When there is any hint of sexual contact between a minor and an adult, coaching the minor (or minor when the potential contact began) is intolerable. Coaching people to lie in media or legal issues (or at all) is always wrong and often backfires. God know it happens, but can we all agree that is absolutely indefensible when a minor is involved?

I hope Sam stays in office for a long time if for no other reason than to give me a liberal half-wit to poke fun at. Sam is an idiot who supplies us with a joke a day. I don't live in Portland so it is all free entertainment to me. If I lived there I'd be signing up for the recall and trying to find a real adult to lead the city.

My son knew this kid in school. Could I see a show of hands for how many of us crushed on, pursued and also managed to wangle "downtime" with older people? Lord knows....

And regardless of the satisfying drama of calling old Sam out as a perv and a turrible sly pederast.... p'raps it is just good enough that he lied and ran for office as if he would be immune to the usual business: exposure of everything he tried to stuff into that locker.

"Kroger wasn't able to nail him down on anything because everybody involved continued to lie their asses off throughout"

Ever consider maybe everyone told the truth: our mayor legally banged the male Paris Hilton, and didn't want to talk about it for reasons obvious to anyone with an IQ over 12.

Of course you didn't. Your having too much fun feeling self-righteous, when the truth is your just jealous no one under 25 will look at you.

Get a life.

Interesting that if Sam Adams and John Kroger were Republicans we'd be hearing talk about 'whitewash'...

As it is, what we're hearing is: '...nothing to see here, kids. Let's move on.'

I don't think Adams is a "pedo" nor do I give a D**n about his sex life but his track record of smearing those he sees as threats and his problem with the truth means he never gets my vote

"Interesting that if Sam Adams and John Kroger were Republicans we'd be hearing talk about 'whitewash'..."

Yah, becuase most Republicans who get caught with their pants down built a career on "family values" moral superiority, then get caught being human. Sam has been way human, better and worse, throughout this whole thing.

The righteously superior stink coming off some of you in this thread makes me gag.

The money's in the envelope for you to pick up from the security guard at the desk....

Yeah Sam is so Human he drives around with his fly down and his pants unbuttoned then crashes into other vehicles.

Perhaps the legislature should ban driving while whatever the distinguished Mayor was doing.

So, Richard, you say fly down/unbuttoned like that's a bad thing? Try it sometime. Adds a little zing to the old imagination and lasts a long time!

The title of this blog is satire, right Kari?

The fact is many of the activists who hang out here have the same set of standards and ethics and Adams.

"The fact is many of the activists who hang out here have the same set of standards and ethics and Adams."

And that includes the culture.

I think the word "activist" is misused by many, including Kari. I think of an activist as someone who's driven by a series of individual issues or a cause to act vigorously to try and affect an outcome.

Take this Sam Adams thing. I'm sure many people have taken a position based on their political party affiliation. If this were Kevin Mannix or whatever, they'd argue a different way.

 Kari was certainly an activist when he was fighting drunk driving back in the day, and I'm sure that felt very worthwhile.

 But now I would call Kari a political operative for the Democratic Party. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But please. Being an activist is a more noble thing. Kari is like Paul Begala and don't get me wrong - I love Paul Begala and I'm quite fond of Kari too. But Kari an activist? Please.

I myself was only an activist for one stretch. For me, the Bush administration was so bad, that it forced me to oppose it actively. In that sense I only dabbled in activism and even then it was with a cable access show where we talked from a sofa. Our motto was, "Sit down and fight."

 I also took every opportunity with my joke-writing gig to slam the Bush administration nationally - and that did matter.

 Activism felt good and I applaud the genuine activists out there routinely battling away. But let's not dilute yet another word with spin.

 It was strange being an actual activist during the Bush years. It felt noble and right. The weirdest part was admitting to myself that President George W. Bush had made me a better man.

 I don't think the Sam Adams thing felt noble and right for any of the so-called "activists" in the Blue Oregon house.

 I don't think anyone from Kroger on down feels better about themselves.

 Incidentally, that's my latest cause: Using "anyone" with "themselves." Having to say "his or her self" takes away the flow.

is it just me or is Eric Parker really fucking creepy?

"You might want to consider that your own personal sexual kinks do not necessarily apply to the rest of us."

LOL! YOUR the one forcing your personal sexual kinks - or should i say "morals" - on everyone else through a recall!

I'm going to sign the recall petition because I think Adams is a disgrace and an awful mayor. If you want to call me a homophobe, go ahead, I'm going to ignore the guilt trip.

Dan,

I'm not keen to attack Sam's "culture" (your word), but I am keen to attack the ease by which he lies. Worse yet, lied about Bob Ball. Adams should resign based on his behavior of lying to destroy the credibility of Mr. Ball, and now it seems, the credibility of Mr. Breedlove.

As for Sanford, he appears to have come home and admitted to his failure to his wife and kids. His behavior is destructive to his family, and has most likely removed him as a Presidential candidate as a Republican. Should he reisgn? Maybe. If so, Barney Frank and Ted Kennedy should as well.

Yah know, I am heartily sick of people who enter political process with shit to hide. And it is such a colossal surprise when some enterprising soul puts it all together.

And usually, it's NOT the fact of the what of it, it's the fact of the lying about it!

Scott J, you are still trying to beg the question as to why Adam's lies are somehow more nefarious, more "EASY" to quote your non sequitur.... than Sanford's and others' of your apparent persuasion.

This homophobia business is really sleeky slicky. Karol, I'm sure you have your own knowledge of how tricky bigotry always is.

rw,

my only post is directly above. Where did I ever use the word "EASY"?

[Homophobic crap deleted. -editor.]

typepad sucks. keeps refusing my comments. kari, what the hell is up with this even worse build?

Scott J, I've somewhat conflated you with a poster above. I apologize for not being clear in my thought, but also clear in how it got conflated. My perception is that you are minimizing Sanford's betrayals in the word choice and tenor of your speech. YOu call for the ousting of the gay man based on blah blah blah and then characterize the adultering hetero politician as "home and contrite"....

I've got no sympathy for any of this stupid comparison junk going on. One is not the other. Period. SPeak to one, and separately speak of the other. They do not equate.

rw,

are you just a complete dumbass?

Once again, i did not use the words "home" or "contrite" in my post.

And by the way, where in my post did I call for outsting a gay man?

Please take your meds next time.

Kari, That's the classic thing about politics. What other professionals accuse each other of participating? Hookers don't accuse each other of prostituting themselves over an issue, but political types often say, "You're playing politics here!"

  I thought the Paul Begala comparison was fair. I doubt he's paid by the Democratic Party either but he's a very effective political operative and consultant. He goes on radio shows to advance the party's cause - as do you. I think I was being fair with that.

Paul is a professor but we've all learned things from Blue Oregon - I know I have.

   The one thing in your response that is misleading is quoting my paragraph that starts, "But now I would call Kari a political operative for the Democratic Party." (It's the dreaded "out of context" charge. Oh my God, what am I becoming here?)

    That implies recent events with Sam Adams, etc...have made me reassess what you do. I was comparing you now to when you were an activist against drunk driving back in the day. Was it college?

   Oh well, your story about that struck me as noble compared to representing a party and having those concerns be a factor in your approach to an issue. I just hold real activists in a higher regard.

  Incidentally, I really admire Paul Begala but it's not for being an activist. For some people, the term just doesn't fit.

Kroger played every microscopic angle possible to get this out of his hands. No way does he want his name entangled with a toxic amateur like Adams. It's wrestling with a pig.

Portland can run a recall if they want, but Kroger is shrewd enough to know that this is the wrong case to make a name with.

<h2>I'm signing the recall petition; Portland DESERVES better than Adams.</h2>