Former Oregon Sen. Bob Packwood Passes Away

He became chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee in 1980, and he even briefly contemplated running for president.

Investigators also looked into whether Packwood had used Senate employees to intimidate accusers into silence, asked lobbyists for jobs for his ex-wife, and interfered with the investigation by falsifying his personal diaries.

The diaries turned into the main arena of conflict.

They were subpoenaed by the Ethics Committee. Packwood declined to cooperate.

In 1993, the Senate debated the subpoena for two days before passing a resounding, bipartisan vote of 94 to 6 to enforce it.

Packwood lost the battle when it went to the federal courts.

Then he requested intervention from the US Supreme Court.

William Rehnquist, Chief Justice, declined. The scandal grew after the diaries were turned over.

Before the Ethics Committee could finish its work and the Senate as a whole could decide whether to expel Packwood, he resigned in September 1995.

In 1996, Democrat Ron Wyden won a special election to replace him.