Two of the twenty-nine women who have accused Senator Bob Packwood (R-OR) of sexual misconduct held a press conference on Capitol Hill to demand that the Ethics committee hold public hearings on their accusations. Although the Ethics Committee claims to be investigating the charges, no hearings have been scheduled since the first Washington Post article appeared on November 22, 1992 accusing Packwood of sexual harassment.
Speaking in support of the two women, Gena Hutton and Mary Heffernan, were the Feminist Majority Foundation's Dr. Jennifer Jackman and Molly Yard along with Mea Arnold of the National Organization for Women and Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Elizabeth Furse (D-OR). Jackman said, "Public hearings must be held to show the women of the nation that charges of sexual misconduct will be taken seriously and that Congress will not tolerate this behavior within its body."
Yard added, "If Senator Packwood is innocent, he is the one who should be here today calling for public hearings in order to lift this black cloud from his head."
After the conference, the Feminist Majority helped Heffernan and Hutton deliver over 3,400 letters from Oregonians demanding public hearings to Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole's office.