Racine isn't the only city dealing with a mayoral sex scandal. There's trouble in Portland, Oregon, too.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The mayor of Portland, Ore., said Sunday he would not resign despite calls for him to do so after he admitted he lied and asked a teenager to lie about their sexual relationship.
"Tomorrow, I go back (to) work as your mayor. I know I have let you down and made mistakes. I ask your forgiveness," Mayor Sam Adams said in a statement. "I believe I have a lot to offer the city I love during this time of important challenges."
Adams, who was just sworn in on Jan. 1, publicly apologized this past week for lying early in his campaign about the relationship with an 18-year-old man in 2005.
The scandal has resulted in an investigation by the Oregon attorney general and has divided the city and its gay and lesbian community. The police union and four Portland newspapers have called for his resignation, but Adams has found strong support to remain, including a Friday rally on his behalf at City Hall that drew more than 400 people.
In his statement, Adams said he would "work harder than I ever have in my life" to help see the city through the tough economic times.
...The teenager, Beau Breedlove, was a legislative intern when he met the mayor at age 17. He and the mayor both say their sexual relationship started after his 18th birthday, in June 2005.
Breedlove, now 21, told The Oregonian on Saturday that the relationship was consensual.
"I do not see any relationship that I ever had with Sam as me being taken advantage of," Breedlove told the newspaper. "I do not feel like I was ever a victim."
When Adams confirmed the relationship this past week, he said it was inappropriate because of the age difference; Adams is now 45.
He also said he lied early in his mayoral campaign and asked Breedlove to lie as well because rumors at the time falsely suggested the relationship involved a minor.
These DEMOCRATS are on a roll. It's scandal after scandal.
On the day that DEMOCRAT Gary Becker resigned, DEMOCRAT Adams was trying to hang on to his job.
"I want to apologize to the people of Portland for my dishonesty and for embarrassing them," Mayor Sam Adams, a Democrat, said at an afternoon news conference.
But the mayor -- who is openly gay and whose election last year possibly made Portland the largest U.S. city to elect an openly gay mayor -- said he has no plans to resign.
"This was a serious error that happened about four years ago," Adams said. "My job now is to come clean -- I mucked it up -- and to press forward."
Adams returned to Portland from Washington, where he had planned to attend the inauguration of President Barack Obama, to hold the news conference.
A day earlier, Adams issued a statement saying: "In the past, I have characterized my relationship with Beau Breedlove as purely nonsexual. That is not true. Beau Breedlove and I had a sexual relationship for a few months in the summer of 2005 after he turned 18 years of age."
..."The allegation coming at me was 'sex with a minor,' " Adams said. "But still, I should have told the truth at the time and taken the consequences."
The relationship was consensual and "although inappropriate, was legal," Adams said.
"I'm the one that should be held accountable. I'm the older adult," he said.
...Asked by a reporter if he lied to get elected, Adams said: "I definitely lied to avoid what I thought was another lie that I couldn't overcome. So, in a way, yes."
Asked if he had thought he could get away with lying, Adams responded: "I think that's going to be up to my colleagues and the people of Portland."
For more details on the relationship between Adams and Breedlove, read "Why Adams Confessed," from Willamette Week.
Adams was just sworn in as mayor on January 1, 2009, and people are calling for him to resign.
What a rocky start! No honeymoon for Adams.
I can understand why people want him to step aside.
Adams is a liar. He admits to lying about his relationship with Breedlove. He admits to asking Breedlove to lie as well.
Although they met when Breedlove was 17, both Adams and Breedlove claim their relationship began after he turned 18.
Some Breedlove acquaintances, anonymous sources cited by Willamette Week, say they can't confirm whether the physical relationship began before or after Breedlove's 18th birthday.
Why would anyone believe what Adams is saying now is true? I wouldn't trust Adams. He's shown that he's willing to lie if it's the politically expedient thing to do.
Nonetheless, some in Portland don't mind that DEMOCRAT Adams is a self-proclaimed, albeit apologetic, liar.
Some don't care that Barack Obama picked tax cheat Timothy Geithner to be the secretary of the treasury.
Some people don't mind if their leaders behave unethically and criminally. The slimy leaders benefit by the people's lack of standards and their disinterest in demanding accountability.
You get the government you deserve.
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