'It's Completely Dividing and Tearing Our Community Right Down the Middle'

The famously tolerant folks in Portland apparently have a limit to their tolerance. Amazingly, some of them frown upon the mayor schtupping a 17-year-old boy.

A confession by Portland's first openly gay mayor that he lied about having sex with a teenager is dividing this famously progressive city, as well as its gay community.

Just three weeks after Sam Adams was sworn in, many gays are questioning whether he is the man they want as their trailblazer.

"Sam has been our guy forever, which makes this even harder," said Marty Davis, publisher of the newspaper Just Out, which has called for his resignation. "It's completely dividing and tearing our community right down the middle."

Portland's progressive reputation is based on its dedication to eco-friendly buildings, its large network of bike paths, an expanding mass transit system and the city's welcoming attitude toward gays and lesbians, which was reflected in Adams' easy victory in last year's election.

Adams took office on Jan. 1, making Portland the largest U.S. city with an openly gay mayor. But the community's image is taking a beating over the sex scandal.

It started earlier this week when the 45-year-old Adams admitted to an alternative newspaper, Willamette Week, that he lied during his election campaign when he denied having sex in 2005 with a teenage male who was a legislative intern.

The newspaper said it had evidence showing otherwise, although it never reported details. After being confronted about the relationship, Adams insisted he did not have sex with the young man until after he turned 18.

At a Tuesday news conference, Adams apologized for lying — and for asking the young man to lie — and left open the possibility that he could resign if doing so would be in the city's best interests.

Since then, pressure has mounted on the Democrat to do just that.

Four newspapers have called for Adams to step down, including Just Out and the city's major daily, The Oregonian. Willamette Week said Thursday that it has not taken a stand.

Portland City Commissioner Randy Leonard, who defended Adams when the rumor first surfaced last year, said Thursday that a "large volume" of e-mail to his office was in favor of Adams' resignation.

The Q Center, a Portland gay and lesbian community center that Adams helped found, on Thursday changed the name of an upcoming fundraiser from the "The Mayor's Winter Ball" to "The Winter Ball" to avoid attention to the controversy facing the mayor.

The sex scandal is stirring debate in Portland's gay and lesbian community among those who believe Adams should be given a chance and others who insist he must resign.