Civic masturbation

My statement to the Portland City Council.

Mayor Adams, despite the AG’s report, I’m concerned about your relationship not with Breedlove but with the people of Portland. I’m concerned that by your own admission you lied in order to get elected. I’m concerned about your orchestration of a cover-up to hide facts from the electorate. I’m concerned about your clear violation of the City’s Code of Ethics, and the fact that Council ignored this, not even giving you a formal slap on the wrist. The mindset in this chamber seems to be: “Unethical behavior? What unethical behavior? Politicians lie. Get over it and move on.”

Well, many of us have not gotten over it, and in July we at RecallSamAdams.com will move on with your recall election. However, it's not too late for you to save our city the financial and emotional burden of removing you from office.

In Edward Albee's play ZOO STORY, a character says this: Sometimes you have to go a long distance out of your way in order to come back a short distance correctly. Mayor Adams, I ask you to come back a short distance correctly now -- and resign. Members of council, I ask you to come back a short distance correctly -- and officially, finally, reprimand the mayor for admitted unethical behavior. Urge him, collectively and individually, to resign.

Look at the bottom line. What does it mean to lie to get elected? It means the election was a fraud. It means we have a mayor elected by fraud. Think about that. We have a mayor elected by fraud.

It’s not too late to correct this. It's not too late to put the city first. If not, well, citizens in Portland, unlike citizens in Tehran, can overturn a fraudulent election through an orderly process – and hundreds of volunteers are going to make sure this is done. Only your resignation can stop it. Sometimes you have to go a long distance out of your way in order to come back a short distance correctly. Think about it.