Ethics Committee Takes Up Packwood’s Request Gop Senators Who Fought To Keep Hearings Closed Face Dilemma

The Senate Ethics Committee will confront a new reality today: Sen. Bob Packwood has reversed course and requested public hearings into charges of sexual and official misconduct, and two more women have alleged he made unwanted advances toward them.

When the Oregon Republican opposed public hearings, the panel’s three Republicans held tough against the three Democrats who demanded them. Ultimately, Republicans on the Senate floor blocked public testimony.

But the ground shifted during the congressional recess: Packwood announced Aug. 25 that he now wanted public hearings, and it’s up to the committee to decide if he will get them.

Ethics Chairman Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Larry Craig of Idaho and Bob Smith of New Hampshire - the committee Republicans - would not comment Tuesday on whether Packwood’s request would change their votes.

Packwood said he changed his mind after two additional women filed complaints that he made unwanted sexual advances, and the panel agreed to investigate the charges. The Finance Committee chairman said the ethics panel had told him no additional complaints would be accepted.

The Ethics Committee must decide whether to charge Packwood formally in those two complaints, one of which is from a woman who was 17 when she says Packwood kissed her against her will. The senator has denied the allegation.

In May, the committee found “substantial credible evidence” that Packwood made unwanted sexual advances to 17 women in 18 instances from 1969-90; tried to obtain jobs for his estranged wife from lobbyists and businessmen with legislative interests; and changed his diaries when he learned the committee might subpoena them.

If the committee agrees to hold public hearings, it must decide what accusations and evidence to present first. It also must determine when to release all relevant documents, as it has promised to do.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., a member of the ethics panel, called Packwood’s change of position “erratic behavior.” She accused him of attempting “delaying tactics” to prevent the release of the committee documents.

A Packwood defender, Sen. Alan Simpson, R-Wyo., said Packwood - who has denied some of the alleged incidents and said he couldn’t remember others - was simply trying to tell his side of the story.

“Where do you go from there, when you’ve been hammered flat and haven’t been able to say what it is that’s on your side?” Simpson asked. “He’s trying to protect the integrity of the Senate and for that he’s nearly been reduced to ashes.”

Until early July, the panel was obligated to grant any Packwood request for hearings, but he waived that right. He said he has received no negative reaction from his request for hearings.

Assistant Majority Leader Trent Lott, who is not on the committee, said the case was “in the critical stage.” He would not say whether he would change his opposition to hearings.

Lott, R-Miss., said he hoped “the committee could come to a conclusion without that. Maybe not. Maybe it’s not possible.”

Sen. Nancy Kassebaum, R-Kan., said she still opposes hearings. “My reasoning in the first place was not the protection of Sen. Packwood but the institution,” she said. “I still question whether public hearings resolve anything. At this point, I don’t see what that resolves.”