Portland's Gay Teen-Loving Mayor

[+ Lucky]

Many times when a gay person rises, he gets attacked bu other gays, but in Portland, the new openly gay mayor, sworn in just two weeks ago, has made a mess of his own. I wonder if this will fly in Portland, one of the countries most liberal cities, but my suggestion is that the guy should resign for lying to the voters, if not for the behavior itself.

 

From Huffington Post:

 

More than a year after denying it, the newly elected mayor of Portland has admitted having a sexual relationship with a male teenager in 2005.

 

Sam Adams, who is openly gay, acknowledged the relationship in a statement Monday, after the Willamette Week newspaper broke the story on its Web site.

 

In Washington, D.C., for the inauguration, Adams will cut his trip short to issue a public apology Tuesday afternoon in Portland, said Wade Nkrumah, his spokesman.

 

Adams, 45, said he and the teen were together in the summer of 2005, shortly after the teenager turned 18 in June, and when Adams was a city commissioner. The revelations come nearly a year and a half after Adams and the teen said rumors of a sexual relationship between them were false.

 

"I lied at the time because I was afraid that people would believe untrue rumors being circulated by an undeclared mayoral opponent that I had broken a law involving sexual relations with a minor. But this is not a good excuse," Adams said in his statement.

 

Despite the rumors, Adams coasted to victory in his race, making Portland the largest U.S. city to ever elect an openly gay mayor. He was sworn in Jan. 1.

 

In his statement Monday, Adams apologized to the teen for making him lie about the relationship. He also apologized to colleagues and voters.

 

The young man, now 21, did not immediately return a request for comment.

[JT Brooklyn]

Well besides the FACT this probably is not the First "Barely" 18 Guy this 45 YEAR OLD has "Hungout" with and more will probably pop up eventually! They usually do for various reasons....

 

I think the Smart thing after obviously lying would be for this POLITICO SUCKER to get out of town! ;-)

[Rick Munroe]

>Many times when a gay person rises, he gets attacked bu other

>gays

 

I've never heard of that. In my case, when a gay man rises, I go down.

[Guest YR]

>Well besides the FACT this probably is not the First

>"Barely" 18 Guy this 45 YEAR OLD has

>"Hungout" with and more will probably pop up

>eventually! They usually do for various reasons....

>

>I think the Smart thing after obviously lying would be for

>this POLITICO SUCKER to get out of town! ;-)

 

 

I'm really surprised you would say this JT since this man ran as an openly gay male, why shouldn't he be able to have sex with anyone who is of legal age? Yes, he lied to start with because he got "caught"(just like SO MANY heterosexual men who said that they lied because it was a personal thing, they didn't want to hurt their family, or whatever Bill Clinton wound up really saying to Hillary), but how many straight politicians have been "caught" having a relationship with a younger woman, not only to have his wife stand up for him and say it was "just something that happened", and then get re-elected, because his effectiveness in his position gave the voters the IMPORTANT reasons to not only vote for him but to provide a mandate to re-elect that person. Sure, he's probably had numerous affairs with younger men, but I really don't think he should resign and run and hide because he just happened to get caught - the younger guy WAS over 18 according what has been reported. Live and let live - whether the politician that get's caught is straight or gay. Like the saying goes, "Shit happens!"

[orbital sander]

As a Portlander, I doubt seriously that my fellow citizens will demand his ouster. People here are not the same as say....Spokane.

Personally, it is disappointing that he is a liar, and he deceived the citizens that supported him. In my opinion, this has tainted his ability perform his job as effectively. It is also sad that many people will use this against others that may choose to run for office openly. What a sad situation.

[JT Brooklyn]

Lying is Lying whether a small lie or otherwise! BUT being in the Public Eye in this Day and Age and Lying the odds are "ya gonna get caught" Period!

 

Maybe instead of saying this probably wasn't HIS FIRST Barely 18 Guy, I should have said..When One Lies to "Save Ones Own Neck", the Lies will never stop?

 

Once again someone is giving GAY a Bad Name also with their obvious self interests! ;-) This guy is FAR from "Out and Proud" at this point in time! ;-)

[Guest]

Sam Adams' boyfriend is already 20 years his junior (Peter Zuckerman). Good for him to be able to attract the young 'uns he likes! An 18 year-old would have to be severely mentally retarded not to be able to make his own decisions about relationships.

[+ Lucky]

Gawker has some sexy pix of the former boyfriend:

 

http://gawker.com/5136726/portland-mayors-lover-might-as-well-be-porn-star

[Guest zipperzone]

The mayor may be reckless and just a little bit stupid, but at least he has good taste.

[AdamSmith]

One of the online news sites used a slightly unfortunate turn of phrase in headlining the latest development:

 

Mayor's affair to be probed

 

Journalism students know this as the 'Remains to be Seen' problem of unintentional puns.

[+ deej]

>I'm really surprised you would say this JT since this man ran

>as an openly gay male, why shouldn't he be able to have sex

>with anyone who is of legal age?

 

There's a potential abuse of power issue here.

 

In the civilian/business world, a "manager" having sex with one of his staff (not the best wording but it stays) is generally cause for termination.

 

In the military, an officer fucking enlisted is called fraternization and invariably ends in discipline. (Damn. Again.) UCMJ strictly forbids fraternization. Unfortunately, it's usually the enlisted that's tossed out.

 

Only in politics can you get away with "I did not have sex with that woman" followed by "well, maybe, but it wasn't REALLY sex".

 

I'm not saying there WAS abuse of power, but the potential is so large that these situations are NOT tolerated anywhere but in politics. And the abuse doesn't have to come from the older/mature/senior partner. The young and pretty can put out and then use it to get some for themselves.

 

It's just not a good mix. (That said, the mayor has really great taste!)

[Guest]

I'm pretty close to the mayor's age. I wish I could hook up with guys who looked like that without paying... (though when I do pay, I usually go for guys closer to 30)...

[JT Brooklyn]

What makes you think hanging out with a Mayor doesn't have PERKS equal to Pay? Not all Material Gains are Green! I'm sure the Mayor pays in other ways!

 

Why do you think Gov McGreavys Wife MARRIED the Gay Gov? Although in the end she didn't even get what she thought she was worth Green Wise! ;-)

[+ Tom Isern]

This is absurd. There is nothing here that should rise to the level of crime, scandal or judgment. Even if the kid was 17, this was clearly consensual sex--and relationship sex that was clearly enriching to both of their lives. What one learns from observing these situations is just how horrifically narrow-minded, reactionary, and puritanical Americans are about sex.

[+ Tom Isern]

This is absurd. There is nothing here that should rise to the level of crime, scandal or judgment. Even if the kid was 17, this was clearly consensual sex--and relationship sex that was clearly enriching to both of their lives. What one learns from observing these situations is just how horrifically narrow-minded, reactionary, and puritanical Americans are about sex.

[Bart]

First wow that guy is a stunner and I can see getting weak-kneed over him. Damn how good looking is the mayor to get a guy like this.

 

Tom your comments take me back to the very ugly argument you had with woodlawn many moons ago on a similar subject when you mention the 17 age.

 

I agree with you in principal, but we do live here and as narrow minded many of us are, that is the reality he has to live with.

 

At issue here is the lie and the resulting cover-up. The fact was it was forced out of him does not help either. If nothing to hide than dont make it so.

[Bart]

First wow that guy is a stunner and I can see getting weak-kneed over him. Damn how good looking is the mayor to get a guy like this.

 

Tom your comments take me back to the very ugly argument you had with woodlawn many moons ago on a similar subject when you mention the 17 age.

 

I agree with you in principal, but we do live here and as narrow minded many of us are, that is the reality he has to live with.

 

At issue here is the lie and the resulting cover-up. The fact was it was forced out of him does not help either. If nothing to hide than dont make it so.

[JT Brooklyn]

I have the feeling IF this Guy was a DOG this thread would have ended a long time ago, But I digress..

 

What's the Old saying about The "Impressionable" Minds of Youth being Played with by the "Older Man" for his Gain with or without Money being involved!

 

Due to the fact someone more their Age ISN'T that naive and can't be Played the same way, alot of OLDER Guys gravitate toward the YOUNG and obviously get upset when Age Difference is discussed!

 

Bottom Line the Civil Servant Lied to save his Ass!

[JT Brooklyn]

I have the feeling IF this Guy was a DOG this thread would have ended a long time ago, But I digress..

 

What's the Old saying about The "Impressionable" Minds of Youth being Played with by the "Older Man" for his Gain with or without Money being involved!

 

Due to the fact someone more their Age ISN'T that naive and can't be Played the same way, alot of OLDER Guys gravitate toward the YOUNG and obviously get upset when Age Difference is discussed!

 

Bottom Line the Civil Servant Lied to save his Ass!

[Guest zipperzone]

>This is absurd. There is nothing here that should rise to

>the level of crime, scandal or judgment. Even if the kid was

>17, this was clearly consensual sex--and relationship sex that

>was clearly enriching to both of their lives. What one learns

>from observing these situations is just how horrifically

>narrow-minded, reactionary, and puritanical Americans are

>about sex.

 

In one way I think this is similar to the situation Clinton found himself in with Lewinski. He lied, in an attempt to save his ass - but the question should never have been asked in the first place.

 

Same here.

[Guest zipperzone]

>This is absurd. There is nothing here that should rise to

>the level of crime, scandal or judgment. Even if the kid was

>17, this was clearly consensual sex--and relationship sex that

>was clearly enriching to both of their lives. What one learns

>from observing these situations is just how horrifically

>narrow-minded, reactionary, and puritanical Americans are

>about sex.

 

In one way I think this is similar to the situation Clinton found himself in with Lewinski. He lied, in an attempt to save his ass - but the question should never have been asked in the first place.

 

Same here.

[+ Tom Isern]

Zipper...I agree. The question should never have been asked.

 

People lie about their sexual(ity)/orientation/behavior all the time because our twisted and fucked up culture punishes people whenever they break out of the very rigid and tightly-guarded mold that is prepared for them. We Americans like to think that we are so free, but we are, in fact, about as repressed and uptight as any culture I know. As I've pointed out before, even the Iranians have "temporary marriage"--we'd call it prostitution. And we call THEM uptight.

 

The fight for "gay liberation" began as a fight for sexual freedom. If we were still engaged in that battle, rather than rushing to the altar of conformity and marriage, our community might be more sympathetic to the good mayor and less quick to judge.

 

He lied? Big fucking deal. He lied about an insignificant affair that hurt no one, enriched the lives of two people, and the details of which are nobody's business but the two involved.

 

As for a power differential--yea, there's a huge difference there. The mayor had absolutely no power over the teenager, and the kid had the power to destroy his life, reputation, and career. That teenager should be FLOGGED, I say!!, FLOGGED, for leading the hapless mayor into such a diabolical trap!

[raulgmanzo]

I agree with Tom and Zip. That doesn't mean it is okay to lie. And I think if this mayor or Clinton had bigger balls or were to do it over again I like to think they would have found a better way to handle the whole thing. And if they asked me I'd like to think I could cleverly come up with a better answer. But its very likely that many of us would have handled it no more honorably.

 

But the question should not have been asked. It is wrong to lie but sometimes the alternative to a lie can be worse. When one asks an inappropiate question that puts a guy in a corner making it likely he will lie then the person asking the question has also done something wrong.

 

What if he had been open about his relationship? Some would have scolded him for kissing and telling. Was the question asked in a way that he could fairly refuse to answer it without being indiscreet? Would he have had a chance to consult with his lover and ask if the lover minds him answering the question?

 

The notion that because the mayor was a city commisioner the realtionship is wrong because of the implicit power relationship does not hold water else a mayor could not date any resident of his city. I think it would be reasonable to draw the line at his staff or perhaps even any city employee or person doing business with the city. Maybe. But I haven't heard any suggestion that the 18 year old was looking for favoritism on a city contract. Or did I miss that?