Former Sen. Bob Packwood, expelled from Senate ethics process in 1995, dies at 93

Former U.S. Sen. Bob Packwood of Oregon, whose career ended after a Senate Ethics Committee recommendation that he be expelled over sexual and official misconduct, died Saturday at age 93, according to an announcement and subsequent reporting by major news organizations.

Packwood’s death was announced in an obituary sent to media outlets by his family, AP reported. AP said the release did not include additional details. Other reporting, citing coverage by the Oregonian, said Packwood died at a hospice facility in California, where he and his wife owned a home.

Packwood served in the Senate for nearly three decades, beginning with his 1968 election, and at the time of the ethics matter he chaired the Senate Finance Committee. In 1993, the Senate launched an ethics investigation that eventually expanded beyond the initial allegations and into other conduct related to Packwood’s duties and cooperation with the committee.

The Senate Ethics Committee approved a resolution for disciplinary action on September 6, 1995, unanimously recommending that Packwood be expelled. A committee report approved for submission to the Senate, chaired by Mitch McConnell at the time, described findings that Packwood repeatedly engaged in social misconduct and also attempted to obstruct the committee’s inquiry by withholding, altering, and destroying relevant evidence, including materials from his diary.

According to the Senate’s description of expulsion procedures, the day after the committee issued its recommendation, Packwood announced his resignation without specifying an effective date. The Senate materials state that on September 8, he indicated he would resign effective October 1, 1995, a timeline that meant the Senate would not take up the expulsion recommendation on the floor.

Packwood’s resignation concluded his Senate term before expulsion proceedings could be carried out as a vote by the full chamber. The Senate Ethics Committee report also included recommendations for referrals to the Department of Justice for consideration of potential violations within the committee’s jurisdiction. A new spokesperson or public statement from Packwood’s family, beyond what AP and other outlets have reported, was not immediately detailed in the coverage reviewed for this report.