Beau Breedlove tells of his romance as a 17-year-old with Sam Adams

Beau Breedlove spoke to The Oregonian on Saturday in Portland about his relationship with Mayor Sam Adams.

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The former legislative intern at the center of the controversy involving Portland Mayor Sam Adams says Adams kissed him twice when he was 17 and that their relationship had "crossed the line" toward romance earlier than Adams has acknowledged.

Beau Breedlove, now 21, told The Oregonian on Saturday that Adams kissed him on the lips on two occasions before he turned 18 -- once in Adams' car and the other in the second-floor men's room in City Hall after a party that Adams, then a city commissioner, had in his office.

Breedlove agrees with Adams' account that the two didn't have a sexual relationship until two weeks after he turned 18 in June 2005. He also says he welcomed Adams' kisses and romantic interest, even though he was underage.

"I do not see any relationship that I ever had with Sam as me being taken advantage of," Breedlove said. "I do not feel like I was ever a victim. I may have been 17, but I was an adult, and I knew what I was doing."

Adams last week admitted that he lied in the fall of 2007 during the early days of his campaign for mayor when he denied having a sexual relationship with Breedlove. Adams said he lied -- and asked Breedlove to lie -- to protect his chances of winning the mayor's race because he didn't think anyone would believe he didn't have sex with an underage Breedlove. And he said repeatedly that he and Breedlove didn't have a sexual relationship until the younger man turned 18. Adams has said that the relationship, while legal, was inappropriate.

But Breedlove's account of the kiss provides a different version from what Adams has given.

"After I learned for the first time that he was 17, I indicated to him that I was not interested in any sort of romantic relationship," Adams said during his Tuesday news conference. Adams changed his account later that day before The Oregonian's editorial board, saying they were attracted to each other during their first lunch meeting.

On Saturday evening, Adams said he didn't recall kissing Breedlove after that lunch. But Adams said that even if he did, his earlier denials stand.

"I said that there was no sexual contact before he was 18," Adams said. Asked again whether he kissed Breedlove, Adams replied: "I don't remember, but if I did, it was not sexual contact."

Adams abruptly ended the conversation after five minutes and referred questions to his attorney, Robert Weaver. Weaver said that even if Adams kissed a 17-year-old Breedlove, Adams broke no laws.

"There is nothing that (Breedlove) has said that is inconsistent with what the mayor has said," Weaver said. "The mayor has said there was no sexual activity. Kissing is not sexual activity."

The distinction is important legally. State law says third-degree sexual abuse, which is a misdemeanor, can occur when someone subjects another person to "sexual contact" when the person either does not consent to the advance or is younger than 18. The law defines sexual contact as "any touching of the sexual or other intimate parts of a person ... for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of either party."

Adams is under criminal investigation by the attorney general's office.

Breedlove on Saturday said the two met at the state Capitol while he was an intern at the Legislature and Adams, then a city commissioner, was meeting with lawmakers. He said they exchanged numbers and Adams eventually invited him to lunch in Portland.

They ate at Macaroni Grill in downtown Portland in May 2005. Breedlove says Adams asked him how old he was, and Breedlove told him 17.

Adams was surprised. "I don't date people that young," Adams says he told him. Adams has said that once he learned Breedlove's age, he told Breedlove that he wouldn't get romantically involved.

Breedlove, however, says that after the lunch, Adams offered to drive him to Union Station so he could catch a train back to Salem. He says that while stopped at a red light, Adams leaned over and kissed him.

Breedlove says Adams called him a few days later to invite him to a First Thursday party on June 2, 2005, at Adams' City Hall office. He says Adams also invited him out to dinner afterward.

Adams has said his staff tried to warn him about Breedlove, fearing that their friendship might raise questions.

Breedlove said he showed up at the party after a friend drove him from Salem. When the party broke up, he and Adams headed out to dinner at the Lotus Cafe. Before they left, they both used the men's room on the second floor of City Hall. While in there, Breedlove says, they kissed again. He called the kissing mutual and said it lasted about a minute.

A City Hall security guard walked into the restroom right after they ended their kiss, Breedlove said, and he doesn't think the guard saw them kissing. He says Adams knew the guard, addressed him by name and didn't seem worried about being seen with Breedlove.

The two later had dinner at the Lotus and had no other romantic or sexual contact that night, Breedlove says. He then rode back to Salem with his friend.

Breedlove said he believed the kissing was indeed romantic. He hoped for -- but didn't see much chance of -- a relationship with Adams.

"I saw it as a friendship that had crossed the line a couple of times, but I saw it as a friendship," Breedlove said. "When I say cross the line, I don't mean as an unwarranted or unwanted affection. I just didn't see it as something with any potential. ... I saw it as that was the line that we had crossed a couple of times, was 'friends' to 'friends with benefits.' "

"Friends with benefits" is usually slang for friends who engage in sex. Breedlove reiterated that the sexual part of their relationship didn't begin until after he turned 18.

Breedlove celebrated his 18th birthday on June 25, 2005, at his parents' house in Salem. He invited Adams, who arrived with a friend.

Breedlove says he and Adams agreed to have Breedlove come to Portland for the night two weeks after his birthday. He said they went out to dinner and spent the night at Adams' home on July 9, 2005. Breedlove said he planned to leave the next day, but his plans changed and he remained in Portland. He stayed at Adams' house a second night. Breedlove says their only sexual encounters took place that weekend.

Breedlove said he has retained Portland lawyer Charles Hinkle, who also represents clients including The Oregonian on First Amendment issues.

Breedlove said the experience of the past week -- including the media attention and the loss of his privacy -- has been wrenching. But he still feels a friendship with Adams, whom he admires.

"I was not pulled into this situation by Sam. I was not unfairly influenced by Sam. I think Sam is a wonderful man."

-- Brent Walth; brentwalth@news.oregonian.com

-- Anna Griffin; annagriffin@news.oregonian.com

-- Ryan Frank; ryanfrank@news.oregonian.com

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