Adams Recall Effort Plans Tuesday Filing

The Community to Recall Sam Adams said this morning they plan to "file all required paperwork with the Portland City Auditor's office" tomorrow morning, July 7 at 9:30 a.m.

The recall drive was launched, organizers say, to remove Adams from office "for willfully lying to get elected, orchestrating an elaborate cover-up and abusing his power."

In late June Adams was exonerated by Oregon Attorney General John Kroger's investigation into an alleged affair between Adams and a teenaged boy four years ago.

"I made mistakes in my personal life that led to this investigation," Adams said in a statement after the report was released. "As a result, the city I love was put through an ordeal. I am gratified the investigation has been completed, and I want to reiterate that I am sorry."

Once the paperwork is filed at City Hall, City Auditor Gary Blackmer must approve the recall petition.

If this happens, organizers say the campaign will hold "a series of training sessions to educate volunteers how to legally and ethically collect their goal of 50,000 signatures in a 90 day window from active registered Portland voters."

According to organizers, the effort has drawn more than 600 volunteers and $2778.37 in contributions.

"I am excited for this opportunity to invigorate our local democracy by increasing civic participation with positive campaigning based solely on holding Adams accountable for his ethical and civic transgressions towards the citizens of Portland," said Chief petitioner Jasun Wurster in a statement. 

Wurster accuses Adams of "deliberate deceptions" and a "coverup" during Adams mayoral campaign last year.

Adams admitted to DOJ investigators that he lied to a local news weekly about having an affair with former legislative intern Beau Breedlove.

However the DOJ's final report on the incident characterized Breedlove as a manipulative liar with a criminal record who financially benefited from his relationship to Adams.

Recall organizers say attorney Erin Fitzgerald, of Fitzgerald Law is leading the campaign, and that chief petitioner Wurster's consulting firm Forward Support is volunteering "contribution and expenditure services." 

The campaign says it has also retained Corvallis-based Astro Data Services to "provide voter lists and web based voter identification software."

For more information go to www.recallsamadams.com