Once again today, members of the City Club of Portland declined to ask a high-profile speaker a single question about the biggest local news story of the year.
Attorney General John Kroger told the crowd at the Governor Hotel he’d taken pains to address his recently completed investigation of Mayor Sam Adams during his lunchtime talk for members of the civic group. He included the topic in his speech, he said, because the Adams-Breedlove affair and its fallout is “very important for the future of Portland.”
But not one City Club member mentioned the Adams investigation during a question-and-answer session after the speech. Instead their topics ranged from the state budget to marijuana legalization — queries that seemed designed to show off the questioner’s own knowledge rather than reveal any insight from the AG.
The spectacle was reminiscent of Adams’ last appearance before City Club on Feb. 27. Adams was under investigation by the AG’s office at the time and was at the center of a drama that had gripped City Hall for weeks. But City Club members asked Adams about everything except the Breedlove affair.
Kroger himself was not as cagey on the subject. During his speech today, he said the Adams case raised “significant” political and ethical questions that remain unresolved after his probe wrapped up early this week. After a five-month investigation, Kroger declined to pursue charges against Adams, saying there was not enough solid evidence that a crime occurred.
Kroger today defended that conclusion, saying others in his office who worked on the case unanimously agreed.
“The Adams case raised significant legal questions, significant ethical questions (and) significant political questions,” Kroger told the crowd. “I am confident we have resolved those legal questions correctly. But it would be wrong for a prosecutor to try to solve those ethical or political questions. That is a job for the voters of the City of Portland.”
Kroger said his decision was based on the evidence, rather than “politics” or “bias and hunches.”
“Those are the values I bring to my job for the next three-and-a-half years as Attorney General,” he said.
After his speech, WW asked Kroger whether he would sign a recall petition against Adams.
“I think one of the most important things we learned from the Bush administration is not to mix politics and prosecution,” Kroger said. “I will not be taking any public position on the recall petition.”
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Tags: John Kroger, Sam Adams
Hi All,
We thank AG Kroger for addressing that it is the civic duty of the residents of Portland to answer the ethical and political questions of Sam Adams conduct.
The Recall believes that these questions will only be answered in one of two ways.
The first way is for Sam Adams to do the honorable thing and hold himself accountable for his actions by resigning, effective immediately. This will potentially save the city the cost of 3 special elections*, an estimated total of $1,050,000.
With his resignation new elections for mayor can be scheduled on the November ballot with a run-off on the May ballot, thus costing the city very little.
Should Adams not take responsibility for his actions, he is forcing the residents of Portland to hold him accountable for his civic and ethical transgressions with the recall process. This will start on July the 7th. This recall campaign is (and will always be) positive, honorable and transparent.
More information can be found at http://www.recallsamadams.com
Together we will make our government better,
RecallSamAdams.com
Jasun Wurster
* a special election cost an estimated $350,000. The 3 special elections that Sam Adams is potentially causing are: recall election, mayoral primary and mayoral runoff.
And thank goodness for the Bush administration, else today I wouldn’t be armed with the industrial-strength cynicism needed to survive this carnival of corruption, collusion and complacency.
That’s the city club for you. Tossing softballs. They have become inconsequential. They are all as far left as you can get and they all love Adams.
Why didn’t he believe having the same political consultant constituted a conflict of interest for himself?
recusal would have shown integrity on his part
“During his speech today, he said the Adams case raised “significant” political and ethical questions that remain unresolved after his probe wrapped up early this week.”
What questions remain? Has not Sam already admitted breach of ethics? He has admitted to lying, fraud, and corruption in order to gain election. He falsely accused and maligned his competitor during his election. Only a fool would allow Sam to mentor any young person now. How can anyone call Sam a “leader” by the actions he has exhibited? He certainly cannot be considered a “leader” or “mentor” by example. Sam has made a joke of the city’s code of ethics.
With Elmer Fudd as the A.G. of Oregon we’re in real trouble folks, God help us!
Listened to the talk. Kroger mostly focused on drug treatment.
Accordingly, the members seemed interested to ask him about oregon’s future in drug treatment, which is pretty important.
Only reporters seem to be so obsessed with this story. No need to insult the city club members because they didn’t want to stoke the fires. There are other important things to discuss, you know. Give it a rest.
Progress? We are seeing this so called “progressive” movement, is some mysterious Mothership towing a litter of twitter sucklings, unaware of being used and wanting to get a piece of the pie, selling nothing but nothing knock off blog sites and twitter fed communities, with plenty of lonely people lining up for a mission to get noticed.
The Progressive Pied Piper…
pdxprogress says:
June 27, 2009 at 8:55 am
Listened to the talk. Kroger mostly focused on drug treatment.
Accordingly, the members seemed interested to ask him about oregon’s future in drug treatment, which is pretty important.
Only reporters seem to be so obsessed with this story. No need to insult the city club members because they didn’t want to stoke the fires. There are other important things to discuss, you know. Give it a rest.
Dear PDXPROGRESS:
Interesting handle…”progress”, Adams ,and Kroger…KILLED PROGESS as sure as they used a gun.
WHAT THE HELL,is wrong with you “PROGRESSIVE’ types that lying to get elelcted…or stay there is alright?
While both sides of the asile are a mess right now, let us focus on Portland, the mayor is an A–h-le, he has let those down who voted for him and those that didn’t.
We all got bent over and royally bred, except there was a crapola pedigree envolved.
Get him out, let the recall speak…and then there will be PROGRESS!
When I look at this mess and compare it to his 20 year history of service to this city, I nor anyone I know will support a recall and I suspect most won’t either though those that voted for the incompetent Dozono will. If it were not for the rabid press, this would be yesterday’s news.
In your dreams, pup. PDX is wakin’ up to the fact Mon, Rose Cit Ay, more that twitter fed anarchy.
Sorry, I’m just back from the beach and listened to Thievery Corp on the way home & trying out a new lingo above (didn’t work out exactly, what’s new?).
Yes! The Rose City is slowly waking to the idea, we are being exploited by a twitter fed anarchy, strategized by something the twitter baby start up companies don’t even fully understand, in their quest to be entrepreneurial …buying into the “progressive” mothership, (PROGRESSIVE, my sea sand dusted ass), to twit in a million nonsensical comments, for no other reason than to log jam for that quick burst of an empowering taste of crap fed fame, and a pat on the head from the twitter company surrogate Moms and Dads.
Bigger question; what (who) fuels the misnamed “progressive” mothership? Ego? Greed? Megalomania?
You go girl!
WWIRE: NEWS
[June 26th 3:31pm]
Kroger on Adams: ‘Ethical’ and ‘Political’ Questions Still Unanswered
ANSWER TO THE ABOVE: RECALL HIM BEFORE ANYMORE DAMAGE IS DONE.