Last Day of Work for Rep. Reynolds and Sen. Packwood
WASHINGTON — Friday was the last day of work for two lawmakers forced to leave Congress in disgrace--Republican Sen. Bob Packwood of Oregon and Rep. Mel Reynolds, an Illinois Democrat.
Packwood, accused by more than a dozen women of unwanted sexual advances, performed his regular duties to the end, saying in an interview: “As long as you’re a U.S. senator and you’re in office, then you ought to do the job you were elected to do.”
But Reynolds, who was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison for having sex with an underage campaign worker, did not show up Friday for House votes.
Packwood, 63, has spent nearly 28 years representing Oregon in the Senate. He stepped down as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee shortly after announcing Sept. 7 that he would resign.
Reynolds, 43, a two-term Democrat, was convicted Aug. 22 of having sex with campaign worker Beverly Heard when she was 16 and 17 and obstructing the investigation of the relationship.
His office did not return a phone call for comment Friday.
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