Former Oregon Sen. Bob Packwood Passes Away

Wyden, who still holds the seat Packwood vacated three decades ago, issued a statement that did not soften the diplomatic tone.

Wyden said, “His horrible history as documented in his own diaries will forever overshadow that public record. Simply put, historians’ first line about Bob Packwood must include those women who he abused and assaulted for years and years.”

Christine Drazan, an Oregon state senator and Republican candidate for governor, responded to the news on social media.

“From the Oregon House of Representatives to more than a quarter-century in the United States Senate, Bob Packwood was a consequential figure whose influence shaped generations of political leaders and public policy debates. As Oregon reflects on his life and legacy, I extend my deepest condolences to his family and loved ones,” she wrote.