By: E&P Staff A story in the Oregon alternative newspaper the Willamette Week caused Neil Goldschmidt, the state's former governor and U.S. transportation secretary under President Carter, to admit sexual relations with a 14-year-old girl in the 1970s, when he was mayor of Portland.
Goldschmidt, 63, who served one term as governor from 1987-1991, told The Oregonian of Portland about the relationship for a story in today's edition.
According to The Associated Press, under Oregon law, sex with a girl under 16 constituted third-degree rape, but the statute of limitations expired in 1979.
Citing health problems, Goldschmidt had given up two posts on Thursday, with the Oregon Board of Higher Education and a private company. But after that, he told The Oregonian that he had learned that Williamette Week was on the verge of reporting the relationship. The Willamette Week reported on its Web site that it had told him that it was preparing a story about his affair.
"WW has interviewed more than a dozen people (some spoke on the record; others signed statements but requested anonymity) who said they were told about the relationship," the paper's Web site said.
In a statement , Goldschmidt said he has lived with "enormous guilt and shame" in the 30 years since the nine-month affair, which started in 1975 when he was 35.
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