MSNBC: Janet Reno Passes Away at 78 from Complications Due to Parkinson’s

BRZEZINSKI Before we go ░░░░░░░░ break big news Janet ░░░░░░░░ the first woman to ░░░░░░░░ as U S Attorney ░░░░░░░░ has died Reno s ░░░░░░░░ said the former attorney ░░░░░░░░ died from complications from ░░░░░░░░ s disease Here s ░░░░░░░░ s Pete Williams with ░░░░░░░░ look at her memorable ░░░░░░░░ leading the Justice Department ░░░░░░░░ voice over The nation ░░░░░░░░ first female attorney general ░░░░░░░░ Reno held the job ░░░░░░░░ than anyone in more ░░░░░░░░ 170 years President Clinton ░░░░░░░░ third choice the first ░░░░░░░░ had undocumented household staff ░░░░░░░░ came to Washington after ░░░░░░░░ as a Miami prosecutor ░░░░░░░░ 15 years Barely a ░░░░░░░░ later she approved an ░░░░░░░░ raid on a Texas ░░░░░░░░ cult fearing children were ░░░░░░░░ 75 people were killed ░░░░░░░░ a resulting fire which ░░░░░░░░ FBI determined was set ░░░░░░░░ those inside She won ░░░░░░░░ for accepting responsibility clip ░░░░░░░░ RENO I approved the ░░░░░░░░ and I m responsible ░░░░░░░░ it I advised the ░░░░░░░░ I did not advise ░░░░░░░░ as to the details ░░░░░░░░ ends WILLIAMS voice over ░░░░░░░░ her eight years in ░░░░░░░░ crime dropped steadily The ░░░░░░░░ decline in decades She ░░░░░░░░ drug courts and programs ░░░░░░░░ keep young people off ░░░░░░░░ streets Though she appointed ░░░░░░░░ counsels nine times to ░░░░░░░░ government figures Republicans blasted ░░░░░░░░ for declining to do ░░░░░░░░ over allegations of campaign ░░░░░░░░ violation by President Clinton ░░░░░░░░ Vice president Gore clip ░░░░░░░░ RENO We have got ░░░░░░░░ do this as carefully ░░░░░░░░ as objectively as possible ░░░░░░░░ that s what I ░░░░░░░░ committed to doing clip ░░░░░░░░ WILLIAMS voice over She ░░░░░░░░ appoint Kenneth Starr to ░░░░░░░░ a Clinton business deal ░░░░░░░░ later expanded his authority ░░░░░░░░ to the impeachment of ░░░░░░░░ Clinton over the Monica ░░░░░░░░ scandal ending with his ░░░░░░░░ in the Senate Reno ░░░░░░░░ also criticized for her ░░░░░░░░ in the saga of ░░░░░░░░ Cuban boy Eli n ░░░░░░░░ lez who came to ░░░░░░░░ U S in a ░░░░░░░░ with his mother who ░░░░░░░░ on the way Reno ░░░░░░░░ that he should be ░░░░░░░░ back to his Cuban ░░░░░░░░ and ordered federal marshals ░░░░░░░░ seize him from the ░░░░░░░░ of relatives clip starts ░░░░░░░░ I have no regrets ░░░░░░░░ I tried my level ░░░░░░░░ to make sure that ░░░░░░░░ avoided this situation clip ░░░░░░░░ WILLIAMS voice over Because ░░░░░░░░ her plain speaking openness ░░░░░░░░ her Parkinson s disease ░░░░░░░░ aversion to the ways ░░░░░░░░ Washington she was a ░░░░░░░░ figure Repeatedly parodied on ░░░░░░░░ Night Live she got ░░░░░░░░ last laugh clip starts ░░░░░░░░ It s Reno time ░░░░░░░░ ends WILLIAMS voice over ░░░░░░░░ left Washington in 2001 ░░░░░░░░ she wanted to tour ░░░░░░░░ country in a brand ░░░░░░░░ pickup truck narrowly losing ░░░░░░░░ s Democratic primary for ░░░░░░░░ a year later ending ░░░░░░░░ life in public service ░░░░░░░░ she said was dedicated ░░░░░░░░ the rule of law.”