Last week Attorney General John Kroger issued a report on his agency's investigation of the mayor of Portland and his relationship with a young man. He also made public all the supporting documents, including reports on the interviews conducted by investigators.

The question was whether the mayor had committed crimes for which he could or should be prosecuted. The answer was that there was no credible evidence of crimes, so the report concluded that no prosecution should ensue.

The report said the young man involved had credibility problems. The mayor had credibility problems too, but he was not the one on whose testimony any prosecution would have to rest.

The Department of Justice staff made the right call by declining to prosecute the mayor. They also did the right thing by their timely and complete release of all the information about their inquiry that anybody could want. (hh)