SENATOR PACKWOOD RESIGNS : Diary Reveals Nights of Drinking, Liaisons

In the view of many of his Senate colleagues, the most incriminating evidence in the ethics investigation of Sen. Bob Packwood (R-Ore.) was provided by Packwood himself. In a series of tape-recorded diary entries, Packwood describes after-hour drinking sessions in his Capitol office and clandestine encounters with female staff members and other women, some of whom later stepped forward to accuse him of sexual harassment. The following entries, which contain deletions of words and phrases and refer to some women with anonymous designations such as “S-1,” were released by the Senate Ethics Committee.

Staff Party

Nov. 21, 1989

About 4:30, we had a staff party. It started slow and got bigger. None of the professional Finance Committee came but the clericals came. We drank for about an hour and a half and played charades. At about 7 we began to dwindle and drift, except for finally [S-1] And we sat in the office. She is a sexy thing, bright eyes and hair and that ability to shift her hips. . . . We gradually drank and talked. . . . Funny. The evening went on. We drank. I finally said to her: “[S-1] would you like to dance?” She says: “I’d love to.” So I slipped around the side of this gigantic desk and we danced. Boy, she wrapped her arm around my neck--and simply put it into me--it was a romantic song of some kind, and I knew and she knew what we were both thinking. Finished that song. Another slow and romantic one started and we danced again and I kissed her and she says: “Do you really love her that much?” I said: “[S-1], I love her that much.” She held me even closer and said: “Thanks.” I said: “What does that mean?” She says: “I’ve been set upon by so many guys who said they loved me when I knew they didn’t and it’s a privilege and pleasure to be held by one who isn’t trying to con me.” Well, I won’t bore you with all of the details of the evening. [S-1] and I made love and she has the most stunning figure--big breasts. . . . What I didn’t know until later--get this--is that [deletion] and [deletion] were still there in the outer office and they simply left us alone. I had locked the door, thank God.

A Man’s World

Feb. 4, 1991

Elaine said she does not want to be called a hostess. God, I don’t see anything wrong with that. If it was a man I’d say he was my co-host. But I guess she’s sensitive about that, so I’ll call her what she wants to be called. I sometimes think it isn’t all that bad to be like Pam . . . who understands that she is a woman and she uses her femininity and doesn’t mind being a woman in a man’s world. When I say ‘man’s world,’ politics is still basically a man’s world although I’m one of the few who does everything I can in terms of hiring and otherwise to try to bring females into it, but it is still a male milieu and Pam is inclined to use her feminine charms.

Unprofessional Conduct

Oct. 1, 1991

About 6 p.m., I asked Pam for a glass of wine and asked the women if they’d like a glass. One took one and one didn’t, but about a quarter of 7 p.m. Elaine called and she was pissed. She says: “This is unprofessional conduct--drinking with two women in your office after hours--when you’re supposed to be making media calls. I forgot [C-1] had wanted me to make four or five media calls on the God Squad so I told Elaine I’d get right to it and legitimately I will. I asked the women. . . . They said they were leaving for the Olympic fund-raising dinner anyway. I made the four or five calls in 15 minutes that [C-1] wanted me to make and then [C-1] and Bobbi and I proceeded to get drunk, drinking wine for two hours I’d say--from roughly 7 to 9. Bobbi didn’t get too drunk but [C-1] and I just got smashed. I got home and there were two messages, one from Elaine and one from ------ so I gave Elaine a call and I probably made no sense at all. Don’t know how long I talked with her. I then talked with ----- and invited her down. She says: “You’re in no condition for me to come down. What good would it do me tonight?” I laughed and said: “Not a damn bit.” She laughed and said: “I’ll see you later,” I zonked out easily.

No Complaint

March 16, 1992

The Finance staff is solid. By and large I have no complaint. Get me by this election and I’m going to have a wonderful six years.