Ex-Adams Spokesman Files Appeal Document, Cites "Lies" As Reason He Was Forced Out

Wade Nkrumah, a one-time spokesman for Mayor Sam Adams, filed his final replay brief with  the Oregon Court of Appeals on Jan. 25. Nkrumah is seeking to overturn a Multnomah County Court judge's decision to throw out Nkrumah's 2009 wrongful discharge lawsuit against the city. 

In that lawsuit, Nkrumah, a former Oregonian reporter, claimed he was  forced to lie to the public about Adams' relationship with a young man named Beau Breedlove and about other matters. Nkrumrah said the requirement that he lie amounted to forcing him out of his job. He asked for nearly $600,000 in damages. Judge Thomas Crist dismissed Nkumrah's lawsuit Sept. 16, 2010.

"At the time he resigned, Nkrumah realized that, in the capacity of the Mayor’s Communications Director, he was being placed in a position that required him to disseminate false information to the public. In his own words, the reason Nkrumah resigned because he was placed in an employment position where he 'was repeatedly lied to and expected to lie to the public and the media," wrote Nkrumah's attorney, Michael Hanlon in his Jan. 25 appellant's reply brief (PDF).

"The City attempted to narrow the reason for Nkrumah’s wrongful discharge by repeatedly stating the sole reason he resigned was because Adams was untruthful about his sexual relationship with Beau Breedlove. However, Nkrumah consistently testified that there was a pattern of lies and misleading statements emanating from the Mayor’s office, not Adams’ lies solely related to the Breedlove sexual relationship."

The Court of Appeals will now decide whether to hear oral arguments on the case, a decision that could take several months. City Attorney Linda Meng declined to comment.