Gay mayor faces multiple calls to resign after lying about sex with teen

The first gay person elected as Mayor of Portland should resign, a local LGBT publication has said.

Just Out has taken a similar stance to local Oregon newspapers and called on Sam Adams to leave office less than a month after he was sworn in.

On Tuesday he publicly apologised for lying for the past 18 months about the natue of his relationship with a teenager.

He admitted that his previous assertions that he was merely "mentoring" Beau Breedlove for a career in politics had no foundation and were simply a front for their sexual relationship.

Mr Breedlove was 17 and working as a state legislative intern when he met then-City Commissioner Adams, who was elected Mayor last year and took office on January 1st.

Mayor Adams said they had sex several times during the summer of 2005, by only after Mr Breedlove turned 18.

In 2007, while considering his candidacy, Mr Adams accused another mayoral hopeful of spreading fase rumours about his relationship with Mr Breedlove and explained the "mentoring" nature of their relationship.

The Oregon Attorney General is to investigate if Mr Adams is telling the truth - if he had sex with Mr Breedlove when he was 17 he has broken state law, which stipulates no-one under 18 can give consent to sexual acts.

A local gay magazine has joined the Portland Business Journal, The Oregonian and the Portland Tribune in calling for Mayor Adams to resign.

"By his own admission, by committing the act of lying to the citizens of Portland, Adams has failed to show the principled character that this publication feels is a basic requirement for an elected official, " the Just Out editorial board said.

"Just Out acknowledges that over his two decades as a public servant Adams has risen to become one of Oregon's most revered openly gay leaders.

"This publication has long admired Adams' vision, his intelligence and his tenacity.

"Ultimately we have concluded that these qualities cannot overcome the weakness revealed in Adams' recent admission.

"Adams' apology of yesterday, including specific reference to the gay community, while sincere, is not enough.

"The bond of trust and confidence has been broken. Adams has previously stated his hope that gay and lesbian youth might one day look to him as a role model and example.

"His own actions have now rendered this implausible.

"Adams must resign his seat as Portland's Mayor."

The Oregonian reports that the Mayor is losing support.

"I've been involved in Oregon politics for a long time, and I obviously understand people's anger and frustration," he told the paper yesterday.

"Portland isn't San Francisco, it's not Los Angeles, it's not the federal level. We have a standard for our politicians, and I violated that standard.

"I need to take some time to figure out what's best for Portlanders, but I'm not going to drag it out. There's too much work to do."