The inconvenient truth behind the Gore story | OregonLive.com

The only unusual detail in this week's high-profile story of alleged sexual misconduct in Portland is the name of the alleged suspect: former Vice President Al Gore.

The other details are all too common -- which is a cold reminder of how difficult it is for most people to seek justice after a sexual assault.
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For starters, the police didn't follow up. Detectives didn't go to the hotel, obtain potential evidence or interview possible witnesses. The case didn't appear to be a priority, despite the public figure involved.
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We encourage the Police Bureau and prosecutor's office to look into this case on three levels -- first, to see if a crime was committed; second, to determine whether the police followed appropriate protocols; and third, to decide what can be learned from this stranger-than-fiction story. We also encourage the city to revisit the 2007 audit, to make sure the bureau has continued to improve its response to victims of sexual assault.

The loneliness these victims feel, even when they come forward, is the most inconvenient truth of all.

Massage therapist who has accused Al Gore says she no longer works on VIP clients at hotels | OregonLive.com

She also told police that she knew of some massage therapists who were possibly sexually involved with their hotel clients, adding that she had reported them to the state Board of Massage Therapists. The board said the woman has no record of disciplinary action being taken against her license.

Letters: [Even if the Gore accusations are true, injuring women during sexual assaults shouldn't be illegal?!]

With regard to former Vice President Al Gore's alleged groping of a massage therapist back in October 2006, all I can say is that his behavior may have been abhorrent, bad, contemptuous, distressing, eccentric, fatuous, gluttonous, heinous, ignoble, juvenile, kinky, lascivious, manipulative, narcissistic, offensive, perverse, questionable, raunchy, seductive, tactless, unexpected, vexatious, waggish, X-rated, yearning or zany, but I don't really see anything criminal about it.

I have always liked and respected Al Gore, and regardless of how this matter turns out, I will not be changing my mind.

ELTON L. STEWART