Maverick Republican Senator who resigned after sexual harassment scandal dies

Former U.S. Senator Bob Packwood, an Oregon Republican whose legislative legacy was permanently shadowed by a firestorm of sexual harassment allegations, has died at age 93. His passing on Saturday was confirmed by family members via an obituary, though no further details were provided.

A Legacy Divided

Packwood was a towering figure in the Senate for 27 years, often lauded as a moderate who bridged partisan divides. A leading Republican advocate for abortion rights and a fiscal conservative, he reached the height of his influence as the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. He was instrumental in the sweeping tax reform of 1986, which lowered top income tax brackets and overhauled itemized deductions.

Yet, for all his legislative victories, Packwood’s career collapsed in 1995 following a series of sexual misconduct accusations. More than two dozen women—including former staff and acquaintances—alleged that he had subjected them to unwanted and uninvited sexual advances. The Senate Ethics Committee launched an investigation in 1993, eventually expanding the scope to include charges of official misconduct, such as soliciting jobs for his ex-wife and tampering with his personal diaries.

The Downfall

The scandal marked a turning point in how Congress handled internal misconduct. In a historic 1993 move, the Senate voted 94-6 to enforce a subpoena for Packwood’s private diaries. After the Supreme Court declined to intervene, the evidence contained within served as a focal point for the investigation. Packwood ultimately resigned in September 1995.

Current Senator Ron Wyden, who took the seat in 1996, noted that while Packwood’s work on tax reform and abortion rights remained part of his record, his conduct toward women remains the defining narrative. "His horrible history as documented in his own diaries will forever overshadow that public record," Wyden stated.

Life After the Senate

Following his departure from the Capitol, Packwood reinvented himself as a lobbyist, launching the successful firm Sunrise Research Corp. While he remained active in Washington for years, he often admitted that the world of private sector lobbying lacked the intensity of the Senate.

In later years, Packwood expressed that he had moved past the scandal, telling the Salem Statesman Journal in 2002 that he refused to let the past define his remaining years. "I told myself I was not old enough to retire," he said. "So I have got to get at life and not complain about it."