Summer misdemeanors cloud spring election

ASPSU president-elect Adam Rahmlow was arrested outside of the Dixie Tavern last summer, according to Portland Police Bureau reports. Initial charges included disorderly conduct, harassment, interfering with a peace officer, resisting arrest and attempted assault of a police officer.

A jury convicted Rahmlow of one count of resisting arrest, for which he served a sentence of three days in Multnomah County Jail. He was acquitted of all other charges, including the Portland Police Bureau’s accusation that he head-butted a female officer.

“The head-butting never occurred, per jury decision,” Rahmlow said.

The incident, which took place on August 7, 2010, began with an altercation between Rahmlow and a Dixie Tavern bouncer. No other patrons were involved, according to the ASPSU president-elect.

The Vanguard learned of the incident from online comments left in response to a story regarding accusations that Rahmlow and vice president-elect Pearce Whitehead violated campaign guidelines during the ASPSU elections, for which they were acquitted.

When confronted with the substance of the Vanguard’s investigation Rhamlow initially said, “It’s a personal story.”

However, the ASPSU president-elect eventually agreed to be interviewed.

 “I think students have a right to know, absolutely,” Rahmlow said, before explaining why he failed to disclose the information prior to elections: “I’m not going to go out and advertise the darkest chapter in my history.”

Current ASPSU President Katie Markey said a press conference will be held at noon on Monday, May 23, where Rahmlow will address the issue.

“I think it’s great to see this kind of transparency,” Markey said. “I think this will allow Adam to show that he may have made a mistake, but he can move past it and do a lot of good work.”

A room has yet to be secured for the press conference, which Markey said she and Rahmlow scheduled at a meeting that convened only five minutes after the Vanguard notified the ASPSU president-elect of its intent to publish a story. ?

UPDATE: http://www.psuvanguard.com/prior-arrest-surfaces-for-aspsu-president-elect-1.2577192

Transcript: http://www.psuvanguard.com/adam-rahmlow-interview-transcript-1.2577258

The full article will be available in the Vanguard’s print edition on Friday, as well as an online exclusive transcript of Rahmlow’s interview, excerpted below.

Vanguard: Would have you have won if you had disclosed this prior to the election?

Adam Rahmlow: I can’t tell. That’s impossible to answer…my opponents definitely knew.