Sen. Bob Packwood's political career remains in the hands of the Senate Ethics Committee, but he no longer faces the possibility of criminal prosecution over job offers lobbyists made to his ex-wife.
The Justice Department announced Wednesday it decided against prosecuting Packwood and closed its investigation of allegations the Oregon Republican had solicited the offers in an attempt to reduce his alimony payments.He still faces 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.
He was to appear before the committee Thursday for the third day in a row, said Sen. Richard Bryan of Nevada, the panel's senior Democrat.
In addition, the Justice Department could again become involved if the ethics panel comes across any other potential criminal violations - such as obstruction of justice - as it works toward completion of its investigation.
"The lifting of the potential criminal charges is certainly very helpful for him," said Bill Lunch, a political science professor at Oregon State University.
"But the fact there is no criminal indictment forthcoming ought not tell us that Packwood is necessarily out of the woods regarding the ethical probe," Lunch said from Corvallis, Ore.