Outstanding article, definitely the best on the sickening subject so far. The whole sordid story causes me to reflect on what the times were like when Goldschmidt had immense power and influence as mayor and governor. The sad fact is that, in the 1970s and 1980s, sex crimes against children were not prosecuted adequately, and the sentences were very lenient. I recall this when I was a deputy DA in Multnomah County in the 1970s. Psychiatrists and psychologists treated the conduct as symptoms of a mental illness, not outrageous crimes. (Hence, the term pedophilia replaced the earlier derogatory term pederasty.) Revolting as it now sounds, there was a degree of acceptance of the crime and a false belief that offenders could be "cured."
In 1987, in the case of State v. Henry, the Oregon Supreme Court declared most forms of pornography and obscenity to be protected by the Oregon Constitution. Republican State Representative Jim Simmons of Beaverton introduced bills to rectify the situation, particularly to protect children. At the time I was an assistant attorney general under Dave Frohnmayer, who asked me to testify in favor of the bills in legislative committees. Democrats treated me like some sort of fascist trying to take away their rights of free speech and expression, even in cases of child pornography. Child sex abuse, which is the core crime in child pornography, got no consideration by the Democrat majority, aided by their friends in the Oregon ACLU.
Neil Goldschmidt at the time was in his first year as governor. John Kitzhaber was Senate President. On the last day of the session, just before adjournment sine die, Kitzhaber brought to the floor Senator Bill Frye (D-Eugene), who had been instrumental in killing the bills. Kitzhaber mockingly introduced Frye as a "dirty old man," while Frye paraded around in a garish plaid suit with magazines and film flowing from his pockets. It all was one big joke to the Democrat majority, who celebrated their civil liberties victory on the Senate floor by laughing and cheering loudly.
This was the tenor of the times while the powerful Neil Goldschmidt spent several years raping a teenage girl and then relied on his friends, supporters and sycophants to cover for him.
I am deeply concerned that Portland voters seem to want to give former mayor Sam Adams a pass for the same type of predatory behavior towards minors. This may be just a sign of the hypocrisy of our progressive neighbors, where they are outraged by heterosexual sex with a minor female while at the same time They feel that sex with an underage male is somehow different and not bad. Please don’t support Sam Adams and please talk to everyone you know who has outwardly supported him to let them know that having a sex offender, whether convicted or not, as County commissioner is not acceptable!
Best, most clear-eyed, brutally honest obit of The Monster. Dinosaur media hides behind its doilies and pronouns--Pam cuts to the raw meat. Says what no one else has the guts to say, and the talent to put it eloquently.
I noticed a few subscription (a bargain at $0!) cancellations after this piece ran...to which I say, bon voyage and enjoy your version of reality. Portland enjoys its little fantasies; reality is just too...too...upsetting. Hurts our "feelings." Reminds us that being a citizen, as opposed to a spectator, requires doing something called "thinking" that might interrupt the pleasures of sour beer, the latest James Beard awards, and the return of the PDX carpet.
Meanwhile, OHSU detaches 15-year-olds from their breasts and penises and futures and no one says a word in the easily-excited press. Covid? Nah; we're more interested in the sins of a century ago. One-party machine government's corruption? Let's go after the "old boy's club" and $300 a bottle bourbon.
Richard, you have such a perfect way of putting my feelings into words....bravo!
And good ridddins freaks. My biggest question is, if theses ideologies work so well, why is everything in Portland getting worse? Every time I ask this it's criquets.
This is such a well written article. You are a consummate journalist. I will never have your ability to see the bigger picture, I just don't have the mind for it and I acknowledge that. I know my own history colors my hatred of Neil, but I can't help it. It's just how I feel. But I can relate to apathy, the apathy that comes after being screwed with sexually. You feel tainted, like you're no good anymore, like you should give up. Like what's the point of anything anymore? I have a friend who saw Elizabeth many times, drunk at the Virginia Cafe, where she used to go and drink, and while drunk would rant about Goldschmidt and what he did to her. She was bitter she had dropped out of high school, and given up on her education and her future. She was bitter her innocence had been stolen. Her bitterness was absolute and so she drank to self medicate. She has also been betrayed by her degenerate parents, in the worst possible way. I feel for her. I always will and I despise what Goldschmidt did to her. That's all I know, really. Just this sense that there but for the grace of God, go I. Something my mother used to always say. I wish I could have been a friend to Elizabeth, but our paths never crossed. The emotion runs high. She was such a lovely girl and he used her up, and spit her out. She becomes emblematic of every girl who was treated poorly by some selfish, stupid son of a bitch who should have known better. RIP Elizabeth L. Dunham, you deserved better.
The most nuanced, and interesting contemplation of a scandal that reeks of false indignity.
Looking back I do not recall the vast majority of Oregon political figures saying a thing about what were at least rumours.
I - and others - pushed for mandatory prison sentences - for men convicted of Sexual Abuse 1 (having sex with a 14 year old who seemingly "consents.") The sentence is/was 6 years in prison. Yet many of the same voices decried such overly harsh sentences.
I moved to Portland when Neil was "working his magic" on City "vitalization." Not "re-vitalization" because pre -Goldschmitd, Portland was just a sleepy, so-so town. Credit him for light rail and much more." He continued as a good Governor. (I remember Norma Paulus calling Max the "WPPSS" on wheels)
His weakness was young girls. dark side. Many knew, they said nothing, her mother included. So now he is "evil incarnate" This was a time - pre Harvey Weinstein - when a "sexual revolution" was happening. You Goldschmidt age children of the 70's , women and men, can you say you never did something comparable?
Nothing worse than a fallen hero. Cover his with sack cloth and ashes and hide his his painting in a Gresham warehouse.
I say no. Consider the man's entire life - good and bad.
History will be the judge and it continues to be the judge, populated by people, who make their views known. The girl was actually a human being named Elizabeth Lynn Dunham. She was a straight A student at St. Mary's High School and 13 when he began raping her. He introduced her to booze, wine, and got her started drinking and yes, her mother was reprehensible, accepting money from Neil after the fact. She and the useless father moved to Italy to get away from the glare. He destroyed Elizabeth's life, so he could get some tight pussy. Disgusting but that is all he was thinking about. I know how some men talk, and what they want, and he was no different. Yes, he is hated. History is being the judge on that, populated by people who have made their views known. Several years ago, he was interviewed, or questioned by someone close to him about Elizabeth Dunham and said he had "no regrets" about his past. So, yeah, we hate him. And we stand by that. He was a parasite and a predator and I hope he burns in hell for what he did to that poor child.
I am continually saddened that we don’t hold former mayor Sam, Adams. to the same standard we’ve held former governor Goldschmidt. Both of these predators prayed on underage youth! I love Portland, because if it’s weirdness, we are excepting of so many different lifestyles and philosophies but if we become a city that accepts the abuse of young children, we will never again be one of the best places to live!
Sam Adams became involved with a young man, an adult with a reputation as a "cruising gay man." He stood six feet two and eight 180 pounds. No comparison to what Neil did. Not even close. I support Sam Adams. He has been in a committed relationship with his spouse for over ten years now and I hope he is able to come back into Portland politics. As I say, there is literally no comparison between Sam and what Goldschmidt did. None.
I’m really surprised on this one. How can you possibly excuse a male adult who takes advantage of a juvenile? There is absolutely no difference in the way the Law treats these two cases, and it is homophobic to blame the young man because he is known for “cruising”. This is exactly the same as people who blame girls for their rapes because they dress “sexy”.
I hope you can reconsider your position on this and at least abstain from voting on this single position.
Jun 20·edited Jun 20Liked by Richard Cheverton, Pamela Fitzsimmons
That was very, very good. You voiced something that long ago occurred to me: the exploited girl was allowed to use Goldschmidt as a vehicle for a pretty ugly and long running suicide. Yeah, the adults in the room didn’t do her any favors. I knew the middle-man briefly, the guy who liaised with the dough. A good fellow in most ways that counted, but, he was a fixer after all.
I was fifteen when I had a fourteen-year-old girlfriend. But, that small town girl from a blue-collar background had agency. I was an early mistake of hers, but she went on to make some doozies without me. She also went on to make a good life for herself and raise a family. Pluck and taking responsibility saw her through. Her parents fought to bring her back onto the right path which is a contrast with the dentist and his mate. My fourteen-year girl's old man made the scene on Iwo and loved his daughter more than anything.
The context of the times too is important. Anything went for a while there. The Zipless Fuck? I remember the currency of that notion very well. You happened upon a female who'd read her Jong and bob's you're uncle if you presented yourself appropriately.
I recall the scandal that so upset my mother and a couple of her peers when a thirtysomething woman gave me a whirl at a very tender age. Never for an instant did I suspect that their indignation was prompted by the threat to my virtue. I recovered.
Those hypocritical mutts in Oregon state politics and journalism and just about any sentient adult in the vicinity of "in the know" were happy to sit on Neil's story and hunt Packwood. I never really got what Packwood did: pucker up his lips in a rather fish-faced manner while making kissy sounds? I should go back and read up. I simply figured it was time to destroy conservatism in Oregon. They let a gay and alcoholic Hatfield ride for free. Given those qualities he was probably biddable to a disgraceful degree. I mean, blackmail works dammit.
Very good use of Cry, the Beloved Country as well, though Too Late the Phalarope was more powerful for me.
Yeah, we all lost on Paulus never getting the top job. Oregon raised up some pretty good locals in our state politics once upon a time. Connie McCready would have chewed through these fuckwits running things nowadays. Ivancie giving the PPB to Jordan, sheesh. I rather liked Atiyah. Think the Nazis got hold of his brother for a bit during the war and so like Steven Spielberg he never had any use for them German sons-of-bitches. Suppose that's a fault.
Being an enemy to basketball all I recall about Walton was his peripheral involvement with the SLA and his coming across as something of an apologist for Cinque and his frisky acolytes.
Long as I'm going down memory lane - boy, a guy could sure pull the leg out of Zorba the Buddha. The Bagwhan was all about love, kinda like Neil.
I had a lot of affection for Portland much of my life. Looking back I now see it as a ville that always was something of a four-flusher - unable to substantiate its pretensions.
The Say hey kid is dead and Joltin' Joe was never fit to tie his shoelaces
Outstanding article, definitely the best on the sickening subject so far. The whole sordid story causes me to reflect on what the times were like when Goldschmidt had immense power and influence as mayor and governor. The sad fact is that, in the 1970s and 1980s, sex crimes against children were not prosecuted adequately, and the sentences were very lenient. I recall this when I was a deputy DA in Multnomah County in the 1970s. Psychiatrists and psychologists treated the conduct as symptoms of a mental illness, not outrageous crimes. (Hence, the term pedophilia replaced the earlier derogatory term pederasty.) Revolting as it now sounds, there was a degree of acceptance of the crime and a false belief that offenders could be "cured."
In 1987, in the case of State v. Henry, the Oregon Supreme Court declared most forms of pornography and obscenity to be protected by the Oregon Constitution. Republican State Representative Jim Simmons of Beaverton introduced bills to rectify the situation, particularly to protect children. At the time I was an assistant attorney general under Dave Frohnmayer, who asked me to testify in favor of the bills in legislative committees. Democrats treated me like some sort of fascist trying to take away their rights of free speech and expression, even in cases of child pornography. Child sex abuse, which is the core crime in child pornography, got no consideration by the Democrat majority, aided by their friends in the Oregon ACLU.
Neil Goldschmidt at the time was in his first year as governor. John Kitzhaber was Senate President. On the last day of the session, just before adjournment sine die, Kitzhaber brought to the floor Senator Bill Frye (D-Eugene), who had been instrumental in killing the bills. Kitzhaber mockingly introduced Frye as a "dirty old man," while Frye paraded around in a garish plaid suit with magazines and film flowing from his pockets. It all was one big joke to the Democrat majority, who celebrated their civil liberties victory on the Senate floor by laughing and cheering loudly.
This was the tenor of the times while the powerful Neil Goldschmidt spent several years raping a teenage girl and then relied on his friends, supporters and sycophants to cover for him.
I am deeply concerned that Portland voters seem to want to give former mayor Sam Adams a pass for the same type of predatory behavior towards minors. This may be just a sign of the hypocrisy of our progressive neighbors, where they are outraged by heterosexual sex with a minor female while at the same time They feel that sex with an underage male is somehow different and not bad. Please don’t support Sam Adams and please talk to everyone you know who has outwardly supported him to let them know that having a sex offender, whether convicted or not, as County commissioner is not acceptable!
Best, most clear-eyed, brutally honest obit of The Monster. Dinosaur media hides behind its doilies and pronouns--Pam cuts to the raw meat. Says what no one else has the guts to say, and the talent to put it eloquently.
I noticed a few subscription (a bargain at $0!) cancellations after this piece ran...to which I say, bon voyage and enjoy your version of reality. Portland enjoys its little fantasies; reality is just too...too...upsetting. Hurts our "feelings." Reminds us that being a citizen, as opposed to a spectator, requires doing something called "thinking" that might interrupt the pleasures of sour beer, the latest James Beard awards, and the return of the PDX carpet.
Meanwhile, OHSU detaches 15-year-olds from their breasts and penises and futures and no one says a word in the easily-excited press. Covid? Nah; we're more interested in the sins of a century ago. One-party machine government's corruption? Let's go after the "old boy's club" and $300 a bottle bourbon.
Welcome "home," Mr. Kristoff.
Richard, you have such a perfect way of putting my feelings into words....bravo!
And good ridddins freaks. My biggest question is, if theses ideologies work so well, why is everything in Portland getting worse? Every time I ask this it's criquets.
This is such a well written article. You are a consummate journalist. I will never have your ability to see the bigger picture, I just don't have the mind for it and I acknowledge that. I know my own history colors my hatred of Neil, but I can't help it. It's just how I feel. But I can relate to apathy, the apathy that comes after being screwed with sexually. You feel tainted, like you're no good anymore, like you should give up. Like what's the point of anything anymore? I have a friend who saw Elizabeth many times, drunk at the Virginia Cafe, where she used to go and drink, and while drunk would rant about Goldschmidt and what he did to her. She was bitter she had dropped out of high school, and given up on her education and her future. She was bitter her innocence had been stolen. Her bitterness was absolute and so she drank to self medicate. She has also been betrayed by her degenerate parents, in the worst possible way. I feel for her. I always will and I despise what Goldschmidt did to her. That's all I know, really. Just this sense that there but for the grace of God, go I. Something my mother used to always say. I wish I could have been a friend to Elizabeth, but our paths never crossed. The emotion runs high. She was such a lovely girl and he used her up, and spit her out. She becomes emblematic of every girl who was treated poorly by some selfish, stupid son of a bitch who should have known better. RIP Elizabeth L. Dunham, you deserved better.
Apparently, Pamela, nothing...
The most nuanced, and interesting contemplation of a scandal that reeks of false indignity.
Looking back I do not recall the vast majority of Oregon political figures saying a thing about what were at least rumours.
I - and others - pushed for mandatory prison sentences - for men convicted of Sexual Abuse 1 (having sex with a 14 year old who seemingly "consents.") The sentence is/was 6 years in prison. Yet many of the same voices decried such overly harsh sentences.
So which is it?
I moved to Portland when Neil was "working his magic" on City "vitalization." Not "re-vitalization" because pre -Goldschmitd, Portland was just a sleepy, so-so town. Credit him for light rail and much more." He continued as a good Governor. (I remember Norma Paulus calling Max the "WPPSS" on wheels)
His weakness was young girls. dark side. Many knew, they said nothing, her mother included. So now he is "evil incarnate" This was a time - pre Harvey Weinstein - when a "sexual revolution" was happening. You Goldschmidt age children of the 70's , women and men, can you say you never did something comparable?
Nothing worse than a fallen hero. Cover his with sack cloth and ashes and hide his his painting in a Gresham warehouse.
I say no. Consider the man's entire life - good and bad.
And let history be the judge..
Let history be the judge.
History will be the judge and it continues to be the judge, populated by people, who make their views known. The girl was actually a human being named Elizabeth Lynn Dunham. She was a straight A student at St. Mary's High School and 13 when he began raping her. He introduced her to booze, wine, and got her started drinking and yes, her mother was reprehensible, accepting money from Neil after the fact. She and the useless father moved to Italy to get away from the glare. He destroyed Elizabeth's life, so he could get some tight pussy. Disgusting but that is all he was thinking about. I know how some men talk, and what they want, and he was no different. Yes, he is hated. History is being the judge on that, populated by people who have made their views known. Several years ago, he was interviewed, or questioned by someone close to him about Elizabeth Dunham and said he had "no regrets" about his past. So, yeah, we hate him. And we stand by that. He was a parasite and a predator and I hope he burns in hell for what he did to that poor child.
TGK you are a gangster! Kudos to you for this!
Thank you Seth. I just get irate. It accomplishes very little. But then I feel better, for five minutes. LOL…
I am continually saddened that we don’t hold former mayor Sam, Adams. to the same standard we’ve held former governor Goldschmidt. Both of these predators prayed on underage youth! I love Portland, because if it’s weirdness, we are excepting of so many different lifestyles and philosophies but if we become a city that accepts the abuse of young children, we will never again be one of the best places to live!
Sam Adams became involved with a young man, an adult with a reputation as a "cruising gay man." He stood six feet two and eight 180 pounds. No comparison to what Neil did. Not even close. I support Sam Adams. He has been in a committed relationship with his spouse for over ten years now and I hope he is able to come back into Portland politics. As I say, there is literally no comparison between Sam and what Goldschmidt did. None.
I’m really surprised on this one. How can you possibly excuse a male adult who takes advantage of a juvenile? There is absolutely no difference in the way the Law treats these two cases, and it is homophobic to blame the young man because he is known for “cruising”. This is exactly the same as people who blame girls for their rapes because they dress “sexy”.
I hope you can reconsider your position on this and at least abstain from voting on this single position.
Tim 😊🙏🏻
That was very, very good. You voiced something that long ago occurred to me: the exploited girl was allowed to use Goldschmidt as a vehicle for a pretty ugly and long running suicide. Yeah, the adults in the room didn’t do her any favors. I knew the middle-man briefly, the guy who liaised with the dough. A good fellow in most ways that counted, but, he was a fixer after all.
I was fifteen when I had a fourteen-year-old girlfriend. But, that small town girl from a blue-collar background had agency. I was an early mistake of hers, but she went on to make some doozies without me. She also went on to make a good life for herself and raise a family. Pluck and taking responsibility saw her through. Her parents fought to bring her back onto the right path which is a contrast with the dentist and his mate. My fourteen-year girl's old man made the scene on Iwo and loved his daughter more than anything.
The context of the times too is important. Anything went for a while there. The Zipless Fuck? I remember the currency of that notion very well. You happened upon a female who'd read her Jong and bob's you're uncle if you presented yourself appropriately.
I recall the scandal that so upset my mother and a couple of her peers when a thirtysomething woman gave me a whirl at a very tender age. Never for an instant did I suspect that their indignation was prompted by the threat to my virtue. I recovered.
Those hypocritical mutts in Oregon state politics and journalism and just about any sentient adult in the vicinity of "in the know" were happy to sit on Neil's story and hunt Packwood. I never really got what Packwood did: pucker up his lips in a rather fish-faced manner while making kissy sounds? I should go back and read up. I simply figured it was time to destroy conservatism in Oregon. They let a gay and alcoholic Hatfield ride for free. Given those qualities he was probably biddable to a disgraceful degree. I mean, blackmail works dammit.
Very good use of Cry, the Beloved Country as well, though Too Late the Phalarope was more powerful for me.
Yeah, we all lost on Paulus never getting the top job. Oregon raised up some pretty good locals in our state politics once upon a time. Connie McCready would have chewed through these fuckwits running things nowadays. Ivancie giving the PPB to Jordan, sheesh. I rather liked Atiyah. Think the Nazis got hold of his brother for a bit during the war and so like Steven Spielberg he never had any use for them German sons-of-bitches. Suppose that's a fault.
Being an enemy to basketball all I recall about Walton was his peripheral involvement with the SLA and his coming across as something of an apologist for Cinque and his frisky acolytes.
Long as I'm going down memory lane - boy, a guy could sure pull the leg out of Zorba the Buddha. The Bagwhan was all about love, kinda like Neil.
I had a lot of affection for Portland much of my life. Looking back I now see it as a ville that always was something of a four-flusher - unable to substantiate its pretensions.
The Say hey kid is dead and Joltin' Joe was never fit to tie his shoelaces