Janet Reno Remembered by President Clinton, Attorney General Lynch

KENDALL, FL — Janet Reno, the 78th U.S. attorney general and the first woman ever to serve as America’s top law enforcement official was remembered as a woman of unbending principle who never cut a corner in her life, according to her boss, former President Bill Clinton.

“She thought the purpose of public service was to do the right thing in the way that helped the largest number of people,” recalled Clinton at a memorial service for Reno on Sunday.

“She once said that justice is not served when prosecutors cut corners,” Clinton added.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Reno was driven by a dedication to the “rule of law” and an “unwavering belief in the promise of our country” as she blazed a trail for women who would follow, herself included.

“Welcome to a celebration of life, of a great woman, of her accomplishments, and of the love that she shared with so many of us,” said Lynch.

Reno died not far from the memorial service in her family home on Nov. 7 from complications related to Parkinson’s disease. She spent her final days surrounded by family and friends.

Reno was born on July 21, 1938 in Miami and went on to become the first woman to hold the position of state attorney in Miami, the city’s top prosecutor.

After her appointment by Clinton in 1993, Reno handled some of nation’s most divisive cases, including the raid on the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas and the seizure of then 5-year-old Elian Gonzalez in her hometown.

Her deliberate manner and lines like “I don’t do spin” made her a frequent target for Saturday Night Live and other late-night television shows.

Reno went on to become the longest-serving attorney general in the 20th century. In 2002, she made an unsuccessful bid to win the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Jeb Bush for the governorship of Florida.

Image by Elvert Barnes via Flickr