WW has learned that even after Mayor Sam Adams pledged to come clean in the wake of news about his sexual relationship with 18-year-old Beau Breedlove, he told his staff a story at odds with what Breedlove later told The Oregonian.
That discrepancy is the reason for the abrupt resignation of Adams’ spokesman Wade Nkrumah on Jan. 27.
Adams met with about 20 of his staff last Thursday, Jan. 22 at a site outside City Hall. At that meeting, Adams was asked whether he had flirted with or touched Beau Breedlove before he turned 18. Adams said no.
Three days later, The Sunday Oregonian ran an interview with Breedlove in which Breedlove said he and Adams kissed on two separate occasions before Breedlove’s 18th birthday.
Sources have told WW that Nkrumah, who announced on Jan. 27 that he was resigning, felt he couldn’t work for someone who continued to lie.
Adams gave a different reason for the resignation, telling KATU on Jan. 27 that the spokesman’s job was “not what he [Nkrumah] signed up for in terms of stress.”
Nkrumah declined comment today for this report. And messages left with Adams’ chief of staff, Tom Miller, and other senior staffers were not returned.
Click here for the latest updates and complete WW coverage of the Adams-Breedlove story.
- Breaking: Sam Adams Spokesman Wade Nkrumah Resigns (Updated with comment from Adams’ office) Wade Nkru
- Former Mayoral Spokesman Wade Nkrumah Files Notice of Tort Claim Against Mayor Sam Adams and City Wade Nkru
- Adams’ Admission Reaction: Nkrumah Was Not Adams’ First Staffer to Leave When Sam
- Adams’ Admission Reaction: Hear Mayor Sam Adams Deflect the Bathroom Question Last Sund
- Adams’ Admission Reaction: What Beau Breedlove’s Dad Thinks About What’s Happened With His Son So what
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so Adams:
(1) lied to his own staff, *again*, and
(2) lied about why Nkrumah resigned, *and*,
(3) lied in an interview with WW,
all in the space of two weeks.
tell me, Adams supporters–how many lies and half-truths does Adams have to tell before you think he’s unfit for the office of Mayor?
The only time he tells the truth is when he’s confronted face to face with his lies. He’s still not telling anything like the truth. Keep up the good work WW.
Lies, lies and more lies…where there is smoke, there’s fire.
When will someone pull Sam’s head out of his posterior and tell him to resign? Why is the City Council allowing this to go on? Doesn’t anyone in Portland realize that this is dragging any creditability that the city has down into the gutter with him?
Members of the City Council – step up and make a stand. Stop this NOW! Sam Adams needs to resign NOW! He’s lied to the people of Portland, and he’s probably lied to all of you. Do the right thing and stop this before he drags you down with him….
Update: Lying scumbag politician still a lying scumbag politician even to those trying to help him.
Just a thought…those that support the strongest just may have something to hide themselves. I wonder how many of them knew all along what he was doing but kept quiet?
If it is inappropriate for the media, WW and Nigel to ask the obvious questions, then how can Sam’s own staff ask questions about kissing and touching Beau? How outrageous of them.
Sam Adams is NOT a man. If he were a man, he’d have admitted ALL of his transgressions, learned his lesson and accepted his punishment.
He’s a little boy. He’s a little boy who got caught in a lie by his parents. So, he drags this process out, keeps lying, pleading, avoiding the situation by hiding, hoping that by the time we know the truth, we’re too tired of dealing with him to punish him.
Shame on you, Sam Adams. Thanks for turning Portland into another city to ridicule, the same way Kwame Kilpatrick and Rod Blagojevich did for their hometowns.
If Sam had a job in the private sector and he accused someone of rape, and all the other lies and hate labeling, and smooching a 17 year old in the loo…how long would he last?
I’ll give Sam this — covering for a known liar is very stressful.
After all, it’s not like he’d return the favor.
excellent point cityworker. wade has proven himself to be a man of integrity. sam has proven himself to not be the public servant i thought i once knew.
Just a thought…those that want Adams head on a pike just may be projecting something about themselves onto Adams. I wonder how many of them were thinking "I’d tap that" about the female WA teacher who was having sex with her student" a few years ago but kept quiet?
Sam Adams is Portland’s Blogayavich. And if he tries making himself the victim, then the whole liberal stereotype will be complete. All that is left is for Sam to compare himself to Ghandi, or some other historical leader of higher character and integrity than Adams.
I don’t want Adams’ head on a spike "lestatdelc", I just want him to resign. Short of that, he will be recalled. Really I wish Sam could squeeze out a thimble full of integrity and just quit already.
Right on "lestatdelc!"
Certainly anyone finding fault with Sam’s pedophile actions and psychopathic lying must be projecting their own qualities. After all, the childhood rant, "It takes one to know one" must bear truth, huh? Those people who grew up and developed analytical skills are only muddying the simplicity of the world according to you. And what a great analogy you deliver! Finding a very attractive adult woman (possessing very poor judgement) desirable, but allowing responsibility and character to prevent action, is certainly the same as an adult man making out with a kid in the public potty.
You must have knocked ‘em dead on the debate team!
By the way, how do you know we "are projecting" or are thinking "I’d tap that," unless you, yourself – by your own logic – are guilty of the same? Have a grown up explain this to you if necessary.
Adams is a class act. I have a lot of respect for him.
I would accpet the same fate for Sham Adams as was bestoed on Mary Kay Letourneau. Prison.
Excusing or accepting the inept Mayor
Sam being gay doesn’t make any of this right.
Sam, I solemnly ask you not to tell the public the truth of your love life. We don’t need to know. Just do your job as mayor well.
Accept when it’s your job to be his public spokesperson. How can you possibly do your job when you’re constantly blindsided by Adams’s lies? The least he could do is prepare his staff for what’s surely to come. His staff aren’t his judges, they’re just trying to do their jobs.
So, Adams had to come back to Portland and miss an opportunity in Washington DC to "network" with national level politicians because he lied. Sam didn’t attend "Mayors" day in Salem forgoing a chance to promote Portland with state officials because he lied. Two big missed opportunities – nice work, Sam. You’re doing great.
"…those that want Adams head on a pike just may be projecting something about themselves onto Adams"
"… not what he signed up for in terms of stress."
Responding with personal attacks is inappropriate. Adams’ behavior was (and continues to be) unacceptable. And that’s on him, and on him alone.
What will it take? What leaders do we have on the city council? ANSWER: NONE! Dan…to mealy-mouthed. FISH: To committed to be like somebody, he just hasn’t found out who yet. Fritz: Along with making Randy crazy, she supports one of the reasons I tried to recall SAM’s god-mother,have her explain what she advocates for, and demand at your next neighborhood meeting, your neighborhood get one, better yet have her make the pitch. For me…the biggest disappointment is Leonard, he was going to be the hero that fixed my community safety issue, and instead he had lunch with the people that put the issue there. After saying all that…can we expect not to ask these people who are provided generous pay and PERS, to do the right thing. So far…their all looking after each other, not us who, put them there. Call all of them, email all of them, show up at city hall to protest(so far we can do that) testify on days public input is taken…and if anyone of them gets up to leave….THROW SOMETHING IN THEIR DIRECTION AND TELL THEM, YOUR NOT THROUGH SPEAKING. They are counting on us going soft!
Does anyone remember the 6th grade boys in McMinnville who were a swipe of a pen away from having to register as sex offenders until the age of 25? The public rage and outcry? Now we have a possible pedophile as mayor of Oregon’s largest city and he is still in office. What the 6th grader "spankers" did was inappropriate but look what is going on in Portland, a rather large leap from inappropriate to illegal. Additionally, how can we expect police officers to arrest sex offenders when the city’s highest office is, quite possibly, home to one? Unbelieveable.
OK…the end has been signaled by HIS CLOSET ALLY(Randy is coming out).
He want’s "deals" with Leonard in writing,so fascinating is how I described Randy in an earlier post, He is a shark, swimming around a bleeding swimmer, running in, and taking a bite from each side.
Man, if this was the "OLD WEST" Randy would be the gunslinger pulling leather first, and taking the first shot, heard all over the city.
I think this has gone on long enough, because he has been a bit slow with all the facts as well.
Stand up Mr Leonard, stop being a pussy and demand he step down, or your words are suspect as well.
I voted for you,I got lied to as well, but just maybe your massive ego, has the ability to lead this city.
As much as I dislike you,I would accept you as mayor,only if you show the guts this issue needs.
The AM article was a "signal" that’s the way you so-called leaders do it.
If you’re going to put ADAMS away, be man enough to do it, or be silent.
"Certainly anyone finding fault with Sam’s pedophile actions and psychopathic lying must be projecting their own qualities."
Puh-leeze, where’d you get this half-baked psychology. You telling me that anyone who wants to prosecute a pedophile/psychopath (your terms) is one also?
Great smokescreen. Sam lied and continues to lie. He only tells the truth when he gets backed to a wall. He’s a sociopath and if you believe him, good luck. He’s making Dick Cheney look honest.
to girl – Unless the sex in question was with a minor, in which case it was a sex crime according to Oregon law (maybe only a misdemeanor, but still a crime).
This would certainly explain why Adams felt the need to lie about the relationship instead of saying "none of your business", which would have been a valid response when quizzed about your sexual relations with other adults. "None of your business" is not an acceptable response if you’ve committed a crime.
Sam making out with a seventeen year old in a public mensroom AT CITY HALL.
A sixth grade boy spanking girls.
Who get arrested and charged with a felony, taken away from his parents, and put in jail? NOT SAM!! Is the city of Portland open to a lawsuit? did sam use his city computer to email kid?
sam should resign and save the city from being a laughed at. he’s already missed mayor day in salem, cut short his trip to D.C., and resigned from his school commitee to raise graduation rates. given the police bureau to leonard. he’s not doing any city business. good bye sam
The Attorney General needs our help.
To those of you who possess the truth please help the citizens of Portland rid the office of mayor of the thug Sam Adams.
Oregon Department of Justice
1162 Court Street NE
Salem, OR 97301-4096
General phone number: (503) 378-4400
This is all going as I feared it would. Sam is becoming less and less effect in roles that he said he would take leadership in. He’s becoming another Mayor Potter in terms of ineffectiveness. It really doesn’t matter what Sam’s policies are when the business community, volunteer groups, his own staffers, the police union, and a majority of the citizenry have no confidence in him and are distancing themselves as quickly as possible.
Sam, PLEASE STEP DOWN NOW and don’t prolong the agony for this city!
The thing is Sam never would have been effective. It’s just that now he has something he can blame it on.
[...] Nkrumah, who resigned as Mayor Sam Adams’ spokesman in January, has filed a notice of tort claim (PDF) against the mayor and the City of Portland [...]
given the police bureau to leonard. he’s not doing any city business. good bye sam.
bluto says the above:
OK!!! That would start mass early retirements,for those that are left, mass sick calls,and morale in the dumper.
Nah..leave it alone the cops have enough problems as it is.