ONCE UPON A TIME, Portland’s mayor lied about his
relationship with a young legislative intern. Now a group of citizens
demanding honesty in government has formed a coalition to recall him.
But will they have the time and support to get the job done?
On July 7, the city auditor’s office gave Jasun Wurster and his
recall campaign, Community to Recall Sam Adams, 90 days to gather over
32,000 signatures. On Monday, August 10, the campaign was 34 days into
its collection efforts, with just 6,000 signatures turned in so far,
according to Wurster. That’s an average of 176 a day. In order to
launch a recall election, the campaign needs 50,000 signatures (the
18,000 extra signatures provide a standard cushion against screw-ups)
by the October 5 deadline. That means the recall campaign now needs to
gather 786 signatures a day every day for the next 56 days—an
increase in its collection rate of 345 percent. At what point do the
recall’s prospects begin to look bleak?
“Never,” Wurster says. “It’s going to be close, but we’re seeing
exponential growth as new volunteers, 10-15 a day, are trained.” Yet he
recognizes the challenge, saying, “I know people will be very cynical
of the numbers this first month.”
Wurster’s foot soldiers seem equally unfazed. Teresa McGuire, the
campaign’s treasurer—and a star volunteer, according to
Wurster—spent the last two weekends at local farmers markets
gathering signatures. “[This weekend] was above what I expected for the
number of signatures gathered. I’m really pleased because I see an
increase in the number of volunteers out there,” says McGuire.
Many people sought out McGuire, who stationed herself at the
entrance of the Hollywood Farmers’ Market on Saturday, August 1, and at
the Hillsdale Farmers’ Market the following day. Excited signers
greeted her with cries of “I was wondering where I could find you
guys!” and “There you are!”
“I used to be a supporter of Sam,” said one petition signer, Amy
Wilson. But with the Breedlove scandal, “things started to go downhill.
Then the stadium and the bridge issues—I cannot forgive him for
those two things,” said Wilson, referring to the mayor’s support for a
12-lane bridge across the Columbia River and for a plan to renovate PGE
Park for Major League Soccer using taxpayer dollars. Others cited the
mayor’s apparent lack of judgment and alleged abuse of power as primary
reasons for signing the petition.
Wilson’s partner, on the other hand, felt differently. “I just want
to move forward,” said Sherri Opiel. “I feel like there can be more
progress made for Portland with Sam in office.”
Opiel’s response was typical of those opting not to sign at the
Hollywood and Hillsdale markets, echoing many others’ arguments that
Portland needs to move on. Most shoppers simply responded to McGuire’s
request to sign with a passive “no thanks.”
“I’m not all convinced [the campaign] will work,” said one signer at
the Hillsdale Farmers Market. “But it sends a message that we don’t
want liars in office.”
Occasionally, Adams supporters have shown their anger at the recall
efforts. Last Thursday, August 6, for example, Hollywood Star
News reporter Lee Perlman took a petition from volunteer Gaye
Harris at the Albina Community Bank and scribbled across the page,
invalidating eight signatures. Perlman declined comment on the
incident, saying, “I think it best I don’t talk about it.”
As the Hillsdale market began closing up shop, McGuire counted her
signatures—49 signers, just over 16 an hour. At the Hollywood
market, she batted an average of 12 signatures an hour, gathering a
total of 54.
With hopes of mobilizing more volunteers to hit the streets, the
recall campaign celebrated the opening of its first official office
space on Monday, August 3, at a NE Broadway storefront American
Property Management (APM) donated to the campaign for just $5 a
month.
“This office definitely legitimizes us,” Wurster told the
Mercury. “Now we’re getting backing from business leaders,
too.”
Joe Weston, big-time developer and owner of APM, which manages
scores of commercial and apartment buildings in Portland, stated his
support for the recall early on. While Weston and the Portland
Business Journal back the recall, other business owners in town
feel differently. The Portland Business Alliance’s diplomatic press
release on the issue states, “We cannot afford further
distractions.”
Big-name recall supporters include the Oregonian editorial
board, former Mayor Tom Potter, and former State Senator Avel Gordly.
Last week, County Commissioner Jeff Cogen said he would sign a petition
if asked, too.
“I don’t believe there’s going to be a recall, and I’m not certain,
if there was a vote, how I would vote on it,” says Cogen. “And I’m not
cheerleading to recall Sam or anything like that, but I do feel like in
the context of everything that’s gone on, I don’t think it’s
unreasonable to give people that say.”
Next on the campaign’s to-do list is a set of 50,000 robocalls as
well as investing in some print media advertising. The robocalls will
target Portland citizens in the 45-65-year-old age bracket because
“that age group has disposable time to become volunteers, and that’s
what this message is about,” says Wurster. “We will win this with
volunteers.”
The Mercury arranged to go door-to-door canvassing with the
recall campaign this past Saturday morning, August 8, but Wurster
canceled at the last minute. “It’s difficult to do canvassing with a
reporter,” he explained. “I’ve learned that people just don’t sign and
they get turned off a lot.”
Hi All,
I very much tried to arrange door to door canvasing with Rachel, however with the opening of our office happening last week, the influx of volunteers and preparing for the 50,000 automated phone calls that went out this afternoon… I simply did not have time to devote to the Mercury.
The press from the Mercury has been very favorable in the past, focusing on the core ideals of why this Recall exists:
1) Sam Adams lied to get elected and stole a meaningful election from Portland
2) We are a positive campaign and have kept our word by keeping homophobia religion out of the Recall
3) We seek to hold Adams for creating a situation where he has no public trust and political capital to represent Portland
But it seems now is time for the hit pieces to start as the deadline gets closet as people dig in to take sides. Please know that Sam Adams at any time can stop this by showing true leadership and resigning. We will go up to the deadline collecting signatures and those that are most disparaging makes us work even harder.
Together we will make our government better,
RecallSamAdams.com
Jasun Wurster
503-799-7919
Hi All,
I very much tried to arrange door to door canvasing with Rachel, however with the opening of our office happening last week, the influx of volunteers and preparing for the 50,000 automated phone calls that went out this afternoon… I simply did not have time to devote to the Mercury.
The press from the Mercury has been very favorable in the past, focusing on the core ideals of why this Recall exists:
1) Sam Adams lied to get elected and stole a meaningful election from Portland
2) We are a positive campaign and have kept our word by keeping homophobia religion out of the Recall
3) We seek to hold Adams for creating a situation where he has no public trust and political capital to represent Portland
But it seems now is time for the hit pieces to start as the deadline gets closet as people dig in to take sides. Please know that Sam Adams at any time can stop this by showing true leadership and resigning. We will go up to the deadline collecting signatures and those that are most disparaging makes us work even harder.
Together we will make our government better,
RecallSamAdams.com
Jasun Wurster
503-799-7919
Sorry Jasun. I find it extremely disingenuous of you to say that, by lying about his personal sex life, Sam Adams “stole” an election. You know what that sounds like to me? That sounds like the kind of PR spin that only an ignorant simpleton would choke down. It’s a crying shame to see you wasting your time and energy with this. I think you could do really good things if you actually supported a worthy cause. Oh well. Maybe you’ll still have enough credibility to get something good accomplished once the deadline hits and this is all over.
Will, aren’t you also another wanna be journalist unpaid intern for the Mercury just as Rachel is? Isn’t it more disingenuous for the Mercury to be the only thing in print in Portland that hasn’t supported the need to sign the recall petition or ask Sam Adams to resign? Especially when the editor of this unjournalistic rag, Wm.™ Steven Humphrey (also your TV ‘critic’) used former “reporter” Amy Ruiz – now overpaid, inexperienced policy??? analyist for Sam Adams, as his babysitter.
So Will and Rachel, there is nothing more worthy in our democracy than our free voice in our government, as stated in the first ammendment of our US Constitution. Though I do not agree with your need to encourage apathy and encourage others to accept lying as the usual way government should operate, I respect our first ammendment that the MEDIA was created to be the watchdog of government -by learning this lesson, maybe you too can be a true journalist like, for example, WW’s Pulitizer Prize winning Nigel Jaquiss
That a politician can use lies, and demand others lie, destroy any other viable candidate that would add to the discussion of what Portland should be, and continues to deceive and lie to us about more than just his personal life – is NOT alright with Portlanders. We deserve better and your support of the status quo simply shows how little you value what is Portland. And, “young” does not describle “teenage.”
Wow, robocalls! Way to win people over with the most obnoxious thing ever…
Robocalls, targeting the 45-65 year old age group, accusing everyone of intimidation, accusing everyone of name calling…by calling them names (except Jasun).
Why don’t you just call Karl Rove and ask for his advice already?
Could someone please send these idiots a copy of Obama’s birth certificate?
you know, if jason worster spent as much time getting signatures as he does on blogs talking about getting signatures…
Go ahead and order new curtains for the Mayor’s office, Sam. ‘Cause you’re going to be in it for a while yet.
“Portland Insider” perhaps you should make an “ammendment” to your spelling acumen, or your practice of using personal attacks as arguments. It’s typical (boring) blog comment fare. Let’s not even go into how you pulled out the 1st amendment AND the evil “status quo” out in the same breath you criticized one publication for not following every single other publication’s opinion. You’re a clown, pal. xoxo
After trying for two weeks to shadow a volunteer door-to-door, I made plans with Jasun himself to go door-to-door last weekend. He called me and canceled our plans that morning. He did not offer to reschedule. The Mercury is ready to go whenever Jasun is.
Too bad that Wurster will not listen to the people who really want Mayor Creepy tossed out of office…… Mr. Wurster has screwed the pooch on this from day one……
“Too bad that Wurster will not listen to the people who really want Mayor Creepy tossed out of office”
@Fonzi
You mean the people that hate “the gay” and what else is know as “people who are stupid enough to actually believe what Lars Larson says?”
Lie or no, I’ll support the recall. I never liked the gentrifying, California-cookie cuttered, Res Gestae-tabulating egomaniac yuppie (or is it urban haute bourgeois?) to begin with. The whole debacle has me giddy with working class schadenfreude. Maybe next time around we can elect a real Leftist.
@ Portland Insider:
I’m not an intern for the Mercury and my feelings are exactly the same as Will’s.
The only thing Sam Adams is guilty of lying about is having sex with another man. Period. Nothing more. Nothing less. And based on his campaign platform, he was voted on BY THE PEOPLE OF PORTLAND to take the position of mayor, instead of the other candidates on the ticket.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“That a politician can use lies, and demand others lie, destroy any other viable candidate that would add to the discussion of what Portland should be, and continues to deceive and lie to us about more than just his personal life – is NOT alright with Portlanders.”
1.) And how many politicians haven’t lied to get elected? Please give me number.
2.) What else has he lied about while in office?
DEAR READERS: WHY DO YOU SUPPORT SAM? WHAT DO YOU DO HERE IN pdx?
Are willing to forgive for any reason?
When a city commissioner starts a mentoring program, attends a conference full of minors who know him as said city commissioner, gets digits and eventually fucks a teenager… it’s not private or ethically sound in any way. Secondly, since when did lowering ethical standards for gay professionals become “loving the gay”? Is it love, or playing show tunes ’cause all fags like show tunes? Being against the recall has nothing to do with forgiveness or progressiveness, it’s purely the stance of self-absorbed cyclistas, developers of shitty Bauhaus-knockoff ikea condos, and europhiles who like watching a bunch of preening dicks fake injuries.
“Being against the recall has nothing to do with forgiveness or progressiveness, it’s purely the stance of self-absorbed cyclistas, developers of shitty Bauhaus-knockoff ikea condos, and europhiles who like watching a bunch of preening dicks fake injuries.”
What will you do when all the self absorbed cyclistas, developers, and europhiles win?
@BlackedOut
Considering the trite nature of PDOT’s proposed bike rental project/yellow bike redux, the sizeable number of empty condos available in town, and dwindling MLS attendance, I’ll probably wait for the other shoe to drop. Thanks for asking.
I think Sam Adams is a disgrace, but I’m still not signing this petition.
Anything that helps the right wing agenda I am against, even if that means keeping mayor creepy.