Portland Mayor Will Stick With Job Despite Intern Affair

'I can still contribute,' says Adams
By Amelia Atlas,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 26, 2009 3:46 AM CST

Portland Mayor Sam Adams has decided not to step down, pending state criminal investigations, after admitting he lied about an affair with a teenage legislative intern. "I know I've screwed up and let people down," the city's first openly gay mayor told the Oregonian. "But I still think I have a positive contribution to make." 

Adams finally admitted the 2005 affair last week after repeated denials, but both he and his former lover have said they did not have sex when the intern was underage. The intern has remained supportive of the mayor. "I was not unfairly influenced by Sam. I saw it as a friendship that crossed the line a couple of times," said the former intern, who is now 21.
(More Sam Adams stories.)

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