Janet Reno


Reno, Janet

(rē`nō), 1938–2016, U.S. attorney general (1993–2001), b. Miami, Fla.; grad. Harvard Law School (1963). As assistant state's attorney (1973–76) and state's attorney (1976–93) for Dade Co., Fla., she became known for her attention to children's rights, drug cases, and juvenile justice reform. In 1993 she was appointed U.S. attorney general by President ClintonClinton, Bill
(William Jefferson Clinton), 1946–, 42d President of the United States (1993–2001), b. Hope, Ark. His father died before he was born, and he was originally named William Jefferson Blythe 4th, but after his mother remarried, he assumed the surname of his
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, becoming the first woman to hold the office. In her first year in office she came under national scrutiny for her role in the WacoWaco
, city (1990 pop. 103,590), seat of McLennan co., E central Tex., on the Brazos River, just below the mouth of the Bosque; inc. 1856. It is a rail junction and a trading, shipping, and industrial center.
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, Tex., shootout between federal officers and Branch Davidians. Under Reno, the Justice Dept. took a relatively unaggressive stance on many law-enforcement issues, while pursuing a number of high-profile antitrust cases. She was the longest-serving attorney general of the 20th cent. Reno sought the 2002 Democratic nomination for Florida governor but narrowly lost the primary.