Well it’s Oregon, it’s liberal, and it’s Al Gore. Like Bill Clinton it’s no justice for woman again.

“Law enforcement authorities in Portland, Ore., have concluded that there is insufficient evidence to proceed with a criminal prosecution of former vice president Al Gore after a massage therapist accused him of sexually assaulting her in a 2006 incident.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office reached its decision after reviewing a follow-up Portland police investigation into the woman’s allegations. The case was reopened in June, after the massage therapist publicly asserted in a National Enquirer article that Gore tried to force her to have sex with him.

Gore has acknowledged getting a massage from the woman when staying at a Portland hotel, but denied that any assault took place. Police had never questioned Gore in an earlier inquiry.

The former vice president “unequivocally and emphatically denied this accusation when he first learned of its existence three years ago. He respects and appreciates the thorough and professional work of the Portland authorities and is pleased that this matter has now been resolved,” said his spokeswoman Kalee Kreider.”

This doesn’t rule out a civil suit by the victim. It’s interesting to note that this district attorney – a democrat no less – persecuted the vicim, and harassed her with a standard that would be unacceptable in any other jurisdiction. A greater example of prosecutorial misconduct I haven’t seen in a while.

The account is

here

“Direct from Rees’ report:

“On July 22, 2010 members of PPB met with Mr. Gore and his attorneys in San Francisco for an interview regarding Ms. Hagerty’s allegations. Through a pre-arranged agreement, Mr. Gore’s attorneys were provided with 14 questions posed by PPB. The attorneys agreed the investigators could also ask additional questions. Although presenting questions in advance is not the best procedure from our standpoint, when a person does not have to submit to a law enforcement interview it may be an appropriate practice in order to gain an interview.

“Mr. Gore categorically denied the allegations made by Ms. Hagerty to the police and the press. He stated he could not recall anything unusual about the massage he received in Portland on October 24, 2006 and remembered nothing about Ms. Hagerty other than she had a pleasant demeanor and was talkative. Mr. Gore stated the allegations are causing pain for him and his family and stated he is “completely baffled” by Ms. Hagerty’s statements. Mr. Gore stated he had no recollection of a phone call from Ms. Hagerty following the massage.”

Wait a minute.

Hagerty is dinged for failing a polygraph … and Al Gore and his attorneys get, through a “pre-arranged agreement,” 14 questions that they have all the time in the world to prepare for?

I’ve heard of good cop bad cop. I just don’t get why Hagerty was isolated with the bad cop in this case and Gore was coddled by the fraternal of benevolent police officers.

“Although presenting questions in advance is not the best procedure from our standpoint,” Rees notes in classic-understatement mode, “when a person does not have to submit to a law enforcement interview it may be an appropriate practice in order to gain an interview.”

Especially if Portland police and the district attorney’s office apparently decided, long before that quick dash (at taxpayer expense) to San Francisco, that they had no interest in backing Gore into a corner, nailing him to the wall or making him the least bit uncomfortable.”

Indeed.