Dates

• Existence: 1936

Biography

Robert "Bob" William Packwood was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1932. He briefly attended the California Institute of Technology before transferring to Willamette University, where one of his professors was Mark Hatfield. It was at Willamette that Packwood became involved in the Young Republicans and started working on political campaigns. He majored in political science and graduated in 1954. He then attended law school at New York University. After graduating in 1957, he returned to Oregon, where he began a long political career. As chairman of the Multnomah County Republican Party, he was known for his effective campaigns, and was often called upon to help other Oregon Republicans win their elections. In 1962, he was elected to the Oregon Legislature. In 1964, he married Georgie Ann Oberteuffer Crockatt. He defeated Wayne Morse for a seat in the U.S. Senate in 1968 and served five terms. He was involved in political events at the state, national, and international level from the 1960s throughout the 1990s. Finance and tax law, the Middle East and women's issues were among his greatest interest and specialty areas. Although he was known for his strong advocacy of women’s rights, he was also accused of numerous instances of sexual harassment. After an investigation into the allegations, the Senate Ethics Committee recommended that Packwood be expelled from the Senate, and he resigned from his seat in 1995.

Found in 1 Collection or Record: