Justice Department Closes Packwood Probe The Oregon Senator Still Faces Senate Ethics Committee Charges

The Justice Department has closed its investigation of Sen. Bob Packwood and has decided against prosecuting him over allegations that he solicited job offers from lobbyists for his exwife.

The department told Packwood’s lawyers of the decision in a letter dated Wednesday and obtained by The Associated Press.

However, the Oregon Republican still faces Senate ethics committee charges concerning the job offers and complaints that he engaged in sexual misconduct and altered his diaries to obstruct the panel’s probe.

“This will inform you that the Public Integrity Section has declined prosecution and closed its investigation of allegations that your client, United States Senator Robert Packwood, arranged for certain individuals to make job offers to his wife in exchange for official acts,” the Justice Department letter said.

Signed by Lee J. Radek, chief of the public integrity section, the letter was sent to Jacob Stein and Robert Muse, Packwood’s lawyers based in Washington, D.C.

Justice Department spokesman John Russell confirmed that the Packwood case had been closed and said no other issues related to the senator were being probed.

“There are no outstanding remaining matters at the Department of Justice,” he said.

Packwood’s press secretary, Bobbi Munson, said the senator and his lawyers had received the letter from Radek, adding, “We’re very pleased and beyond that we should not comment.”

The Justice Department’s decision does not put an end to the senator’s problems.

The Senate ethics committee still is investigating the allegations that Packwood peddled his influence in an attempt to secure jobs for his ex-wife and reduce his alimony payments.

That panel also is probing allegations that Packwood engaged in sexual misconduct and altered his diaries to obstruct the committee’s investigation.

Packwood appeared before the committee for 3 hours on Tuesday and was to meet with it again Wednesday to defend himself against the charges. The meetings were closed to the public.

The Justice Department launched its probe 1 years ago. It called several lobbyists before a federal grand jury here in February to question them about job offers they made to Packwood’s ex-wife, Georgie.

The Packwoods divorced in 1990.

The department subpoenaed Packwood’s diaries and other evidence after the Senate ethics committee discovered a diary entry about one of the lobbyists during its inquiry into alleged sexual misconduct.

One job offer came from Steven R. Saunders, who has acted as a lobbyist for Mitsubishi Electric Crop., Seiko Epson Corp. and the Japanese Embassy.

In February, The Oregonian newspaper in Portland reported that federal prosecutors had granted Saunders immunity for his cooperation in the case.

Other lobbyists who allegedly offered Packwood’s ex-wife jobs were Ronald Crawford, a lobbyist who represents cable TV interests; Lester Pollack, a Wall Street investment tycoon; and Tim Lee, a former Packwood employee who owned an Oregon trucking brokerage firm.

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