PORTLAND — Former Portland Mayor Sam Adams has been cleared after an investigation into accusations by an assistant of unwanted sexual behavior during his time in office.
Adams sent a report with the city investigation’s findings to news outlets this week.
In 2017, former executive assistant Cevero Gonzalez accused Adams of making sexually charged comments in the workplace and behaving erratically while Gonzalez worked for him from 2008 to 2013.
Adams denied the allegations and said he would welcome an investigation. The city’s human resources department started an investigation in 2021 when Adams was hired as director of strategic innovations for current Mayor Ted Wheeler.
According to the report submitted by Adams, no sufficient evidence to support Gonzalez’s claims were found during the investigation. The report says no former and current City Hall employees had witnessed behavior that Gonzalez claimed or heard complaints about such behavior from Gonzalez.
“Based on the documents reviewed and the interviews conducted on this matter, our investigation did not find sufficient evidence that would allow us to substantiate a violation of (city rules) based on the claims brought forward by Mr. Gonzalez,” the report concluded.
Adams left Wheeler’s office in January, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.
Wheeler said he fired Adams because of a growing number of complaints made by staff against Adams for allegedly bullying. Adams has denied that, saying he resigned for health reasons.
