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Mayoral Battle Preheats
Rumors bubble up around Commissioner Sam Adams
by Julie Sabatier
hen Mayor Tom Potter announced
Sept. 10 that he would not seek re
election, questions began to swirl
ahout who would be the first to
begin a campaign to lead Portland
in 2008. Two names that quickly surfaced were City
Commissioner Sam Adams and Pearl District devel
oper Bob Ball, both of whom are gay.
Although neither potential candidate has
announced his intentions, both of their names
have been making headlines because of the ever-
industrious political nimor mill.
On the evening of Sept. 17, Willamette Week
reported on its Web site some nasty gossip concern
ing a possibly inappropriate relationship between
Adams and a 17-year-old gay man.
Beau Breedlove, now 20, and Adams, 44, met at
the Oregon Legislature in 2005. Adams says
Breedlove, who was interning with a legislator,
approached him seeking a mentor.
“He was struggling with coming out. He asked
me for advice,” said Adams. “He was really interest
about being a gay man. 1 didn't want to conform to
them—going to the clubs, doing drugs, sleeping
around—I wanted to be something more. Sam was
the role model that wasn’t the typical gay man.
That’s what 1 gained from our relationship.”
Breedlove no longer wishes to pursue a career in
politics. He works at a restaurant in Michigan and
aspires to play piano professionally.
No one has yet admitted how the information
about Adams’ association with Breedlove reached
the media. City Commissioner Randy Leonard says
Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams adamantly denies rumors that he had an inappropriate
he first heard the rumor from Ball, Adams’ poten relationship with an underage legislative intern.
tial challenger, during an event Aug. 2 at Ball’s
also says he believes Ball’s perpetuation of the rumor
Wyatt building on Northwest 14th Avenue. Ball
fulfill his reporting obligation. Under Oregon law,
was politically motivated.
told Just Out that he was passing along what he got
public officials (including reserve police officers)
“Bob has been leaning on me very heavily to
from a “credible source” that was “close to Sam.”
are required to report to the Child Welfare Office,
endorse him for mayor, up to and including in that
“One of the things that I was struggling with
the Department of Human Services or a law
was I didn’t know if this rose to the level of some conversation [about the accusation], looking me in
enforcement agency if they have “reasonable cause"
thing I had to report,” explained Ball, who said he
the eye and saying: ‘We’re very close friends. This
to believe a minor has been abused.
did not solicit the information. “It concerned me.
is personal, and 1 want your endorsement.’ That’s
“This is a smear campaign, and for him to try to
The person who came to me said that they thought
an exact quote,” said Leonard.
now pretty it up and characterize it as anything else
it was factual.”
Leonard says he no longer counts Ball among
is just untrue,” said Adams. “This was nothing more,
his friends. “Notwithstanding the fact that Bob has
nothing less than attempted political assassination.”
been a very good friend, I know of Bob’s strong
Asked if he regrets meeting with Breedlove one
points and his weak points, and one of his weak
on one because of the insinuations now swirling
points is he’s just an insufferable gossip. You cannot
around him, Adams said: “No. To regret that means
go and tell people something as a fact that is so
that there’s something untoward about it, and there
hurtful and damaging particularly to a gay man,
wasn’t,” he explained. “To regret that, I think, bol
Ball, who is a reserve police officer, decided to
who is perhaps the most singular, susceptible per sters a stereotype that I thought was a very old stereo
contact Leonard after consulting with attorney
son in our culture to charges of pedophilia.”
type that gay adults can’t be trusted with gay minors.”
Mary Overgaard, who served as legal council for
Leonard says he told Ball directly that he
Dan Ryan, a gay man who serves as co-chairman
the Portland Police Bureau from 1984 to 1993.
believed the rumor was false and had most likely
of the Portland Public Schools board, agrees. “Being
“Initially when he heard it, he wasn’t going to say
come to Ball by way of a disgruntled former
a mentor is just part of being a responsible adult,” he
anything or do anything, and then he realized he was
employee of Adams’. (Just Out was not able to con said. “1 salute Commissioner AdamTFor adding this
a sworn police officer, and he wondered if he had
firm this information by press time.)
to his full plate. Actions like this are why people trust
a duty to report it to anyone,” said Overgaard, who is
Leonard was not the only person Ball spoke to Sam.”
a straight board member of the Oregon Gay and
about the controversial allegations against Adams.
Jonathan Weedman, who serves as program man
Lesbian Law Association. “1 think that the statute is
He also revealed what he knew to former Mayor
ager for the Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center,
broad enough that we felt taking it to a public official
Vera Katz. Katz also went directly to Adams, her
said he might have advised Adams to bring along
would meet Bob’s obligation. He was very concerned
former chief of staff.
another staffer to the lunch and dinner meetings.
that his actions not be viewed as political. He t<x>k
Ball says that in hindsight he might have
“There’s a lot of power in numbers, and it reduces
this to someone he thought would act appropriately.”
chosen to share his information with a different
speculation,” he said before wondering akxtd, “Wixild
Leonard says he took the information to Adams,
public official. “I don’t regret the decision to say
a straight politician have done anything different?”
who denied the accusation. Adams contacted
something. If 1 had it to do again, 1 would maybe
Neither Adams nor Ball has indicated how this
Breedlove and told Leonard that Breedlove was will bring it to [Multnomah County District Attorney]
incident might affect a decision to mn for mayor.
ing to sign an affidavit confirming there had been
Mike Schrunk. Again, 1 just followed the advice
Adams says he will announce in the next few weeks,
nothing sexual about their relationship. Leonard says
that I was given.”
while Ball says he is still deciding between a mayoral'
campaign
and starting a family with his partner. •
he was satisfied the allegations were untnie. Leonard
Both Leonard and Adams say Ball failed to
"This was nothing more, nothing less than
attempted political assassination."
—Sam Adams
ed in getting my take on the situation based on my
experience...it was a mentor-mentee friendship,
and that is all it was.”
Adams says he invited Breedlove to a First
Thursday event at City Hall, which Breedlove
came up from Salem to attend. Afterward the two
had dinner at rhe nearby Lotus Café. They met for
lunch on one other occasion. Adams and a date
also attended Breedlove’s 18th birthday party at the
home of the young man’s family.
According to Breedlove, his boyfriend picked
him up after his dinner with Adams at the Lotus
and drove him back to Salem. Breedlove also had
some communication with Adams through text
messages and phone calls.
Breedlove backed up Adams in stating that his
relationship was not sexual or romantic in nature.
“It started as a mentorship, and now it’s a friend
ship,” Breedlove told Just Out. “My problem at the
time is 1 was stniggling with the general stereotypes
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