Sam Adams (Oregon politician)
Sam Adams | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Mayor of Portland, Oregon | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Tom Potter |
| Member of Portland City Council Position 1 | |
| In office January 1, 2005 – January 1, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Jim Francesconi |
| Succeeded by | Amanda Fritz |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 3, 1963 Whitehall, Montana |
| Domestic partner | Peter Zuckerman |
| Residence | Portland, Oregon |
| Alma mater | University of Oregon |
| Website | Sam for PDX |
Sam Adams (born 1963) is the mayor of Portland, Oregon. In 2004 he was elected to the Portland City Council, serving four years on the council before being elected Mayor of Portland in May 2008.[1][2] He is the first openly gay mayor of a top 30 U.S. city.[3] In 2009, Adams admitted to lying about an affair with a young intern; he later confirmed he had sexual relations with him.[4]
Early life and career
Son of Larry Adams, a special-education teacher and high-school basketball coach, and his wife, Karalie (née Gibbons),[5] Adams was born in 1963, when his family lived on a ranch eight miles outside of Whitehall, Montana. At the age of two, his family moved to Richland, Washington for a year, and then on to Newport, Oregon and Eugene, Oregon, where his parents were divorced. Adams lived with his mother, who survived for a time on food stamps.[6] His mother could not find work in Eugene and moved to Portland. Adams stayed in Eugene and lived on his own throughout most of his high school years. He graduated from South Eugene High School and attended the University of Oregon.[6]
Adams began his career in politics as a staffer on Peter DeFazio's 1986 campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives in Oregon's 4th district.[6] DeFazio won the race and still serves to this day.
In 1987, Adams went to work for the Oregon House Democratic Campaign Committee and for then Democratic Majority Leader Carl Hosticka.[7]
He next worked on Vera Katz's mayoral campaign in Portland and served 11 years as her Chief of Staff.[8]
City Council
In a 2004 election for a seat on the Portland City Council, Adams won significantly fewer votes than rival Nick Fish in the primary election, but defeated Fish in the general election. Following the primary, Adams shifted campaign managers and tactics from a focus on traditional fundraising to grassroots outreach.
Adams was Portland's Commissioner of Public Utilities; he ran the Portland Office of Transportation (commonly abbreviated as "PDOT") and the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services (BES). He also served as Portland City Council's liaison to the Arts and Culture and Small Business communities. As part of managing PDOT, he inherited the responsibility to oversee development of the Portland Aerial Tram, one of the world's few urban aerial trams. It links the South Waterfront district to the upper campus of Oregon Health & Science University. During its development, the project was plagued with controversy due to poor cost estimates. When Adams assumed responsibility for PDOT and, consequently, control of the project, he replaced the external consultants responsible for the poor cost estimates with in-house expertise. The project was completed on time and revised budget, and is fully operational. It opened to the public on January 27, 2007.
Adams and his staff maintain a blog highlighting their activities in the community, especially pertaining to Adams' priorities such as arts and culture, livability and environment, and transportation.[9]
Mayoral campaign
In October 2007 Adams announced his intentions to run for Mayor of Portland and kicked off his campaign at the Wonder Ballroom in Northeast Portland in February 2008.[10][11] His main opponent was Sho Dozono, a civic leader and businessman, although thirteen candidates filed for mayor. In the primary election, held May 20, 2008, Adams captured 58 percent of the vote and was elected without the need for a run-off.[12] His nearest opponent, Sho Dozono, received 34 percent of the vote.[2] Adams took office on January 1, 2009.
Portland is the largest U.S. city to have ever elected an openly gay mayor.[12] With approximately 570,000 residents, it is more than three times the size of Providence, Rhode Island, the next largest with an openly gay mayor, David Cicilline.
Personal life
His partner is Peter Zuckerman, an award-winning journalist.[13]
From 1992 until 2004, Adams was in a long-term relationship with Greg Eddie.[14] In 2007, the former couple, in a challenge to state constitution, filed suit against the State of Oregon to dissolve their domestic partnership and divide Adams' future pension.[15][16] He also has dated Christopher Stowell, artistic director of Oregon Ballet Theatre.[17][18]
Relationship with legislative intern
In 2005, Adams met a young man who was interning for Representative Kim Thatcher of Keizer. In September 2007, Adams denied allegations of a sexual relationship with the intern, who was seventeen at the time of their introduction.[19] In January 2009, Adams admitted lying about the nature of the relationship, confirming they were sexually involved after the intern had passed the age of consent, in June 2005.[19]
Adams apologized for the dishonesty, saying that he lied in order to avoid the accusation of illegality during the mayoral campaign.[20][21] Adams cut short his trip to Washington, D.C. for Barack Obama's presidential inauguration in order to issue a formal public apology in Portland.[21]
In reaction to Adams' admission, a criminal investigation was initiated on January 21 by Oregon's Attorney General John Kroger.[22] The editorial boards of The Oregonian, the Portland Tribune, and Portland's gay publication, Just Out, have all called for his resignation,[23][24][25] while The Portland Mercury and the board of the Portland Area Business Association (an LGBTQ chamber of commerce) spoke out against resignation.[26] [27] Largely in opposition to the response of the mainstream media, a rally in support of Adams was held on January 23.[28] On January 25, Adams announced his intention to remain in office.[29]
References
- ^ "Adams wins Portland mayor race". The Oregonian. May 21, 2008.
- ^ a b Multnomah County: May 20, 2008 primary election results
- ^ Manning, Rob (May 21, 2008). "Portland Hardly Noticed, But The Rest Of The Nation Did". OPB News. Retrieved May 21, 2008.
- ^ Griffin, Anna (January 20, 2009). "Mayor to respond to reports of sexual relationship with teen". The Oregonian. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
- ^ Portland Monthly
- ^ a b c "Sam Adams for Mayor: biography".
- ^ Adams Portland City Commissioner website
- ^ Griffin, Anna (March 28, 2008). "Who are you, Sam I Am?". The Oregonian. Retrieved March 28, 2008.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Commissioner Adams' blog
- ^ Mayer, James (October 3, 2007). "Sam Adams says he's running for Portland mayor". The Oregonian. Retrieved March 28, 2008.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Sam Adams for Mayor
- ^ a b "Portland elects its first openly gay mayor". KGW. May 21, 2008.
- ^ "Gossip should have no friends". Willamette Week. May 21, 2008.
- ^ Basic Rights Oregon
- ^ Moore, Scott (February 20, 2007). "BRO Suit Pits Sam Adams And His Former Partner Against The State". Portland Mercury.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Sam Adams Sues Oregon for Discriminatory Policy". Gay Rights Watch. February 21, 2007.
- ^ "Update: Sam Adams, Candidate, Commissioner ...Hero? (with victim's comment)". Willamette Week. April 3, 2008.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Rubin, Harriet (January 2009). "Becoming Sam Adams". Portland Monthly.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b "Adams' Admission: Mayor Sam Adams Tells WW He Lied About Not Having Sex With Beau Breedlove". Willamette Week. January 14, 2009. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
- ^ Humphrey, Stephen (January 14, 2009). "Sam Adams Issues Statement on Sex Scandal Admission". Portland Mercury. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
- ^ a b "Portland mayor admits past relationship with teen". Associated Press. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
- ^ Slovic, Beth (January 21, 2009). "Updated with AG Statement: Adams' Admission Reaction—Oregon Attorney General To Announce Investigation". Willamette Week. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
- ^ The Oregonian Editorial Board (January 21, 2009). "Sam Adams and his fight with the truth". The Oregonian. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
- ^ "Tribune Editorial: Adams must resign". Portland Tribune. January 21, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2009.
- ^ "Just Out Editorial Board Asks Portland Mayor Sam Adams To Resign From Office". Just Out. January 21, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2009.
- ^ Petroni, MJ (Januar 24, 2009). "LGBTQ Chamber Wants Sam to Stay". Just Out. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Humphrey, Stephen. "Why Adams Should Stay". The Portland Mercury. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
- ^ Humphrey, Stephen (January 22, 2009). "Rally for Sam Adams Tomorrow". blogtown.portlandmercury.com. Portland Mercury. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
- ^ Associated Press (January 25, 2009). "Oregon Mayor in Sex Dispute Is Staying Put". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
External links
Template:Top 50 U.S. City Mayors
{{subst:#if:Adams, Sam|}} [[Category:{{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:1963}}
|| UNKNOWN | MISSING = Year of birth missing {{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:LIVING}}||LIVING=(living people)}}
| #default = 1963 births
}}]] {{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:LIVING}}
|| LIVING = | MISSING = | UNKNOWN = | #default =
}}