Mayor explains why he decided not to resign over teen sex story

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The Mayor of the US city of Portland has apologised for embarassing the gay community after it emerged he had a sexual relationship with a teenager.

Sam Adams told magazine Out that he decided to stay on despite calls for him to resign and admitted his relationship with Beau Breedlove was inappropriate.

“I was forty-[two], however many years older than he was. And an elected official. I think the difference in age and the fact that I was an elected official made it inappropriate,” he said.

The Mayor admitted last month that he had sex with Beau Breedlove during the summer of 2005, but claimed Mr Breedlove had already turned 18.

Mr Adams, who was elected last year and took office on January 1st, had denied their relationship was sexual for at least 18 months.

Mr Breedlove was 17 and working as a state legislative intern when he met then-City Commissioner Adams.

Mr Adams publicly 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.

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.

He refused to answer specific questions about the relationship in his Out interview.

“I wrestled with resigning or staying,” he said.

“My first priority was what’s best for the city. And my second priority was what am I up for, what do I have the energy for.

“In the end, I can offer at least six to nine months of relative stability by staying [Portland’s charter protects newly-elected mayors from recall for at least six months], and I can make amends better by staying.”

Click here to read Out’s interview with Sam Adams.

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