Janet Reno, Former U.S. Attorney General, Has Died

Janet Reno, the first woman to hold the office of U.S. attorney general, has died. She was 78. The New York Times reports that Reno died from complications of Parkinson's disease at her Florida home this morning. She was diagnosed with the disease in 1995. Reno served two terms under Bill Clinton's administration, from 1993 to 2001. She held the distinction of being the longest-serving attorney general of the 20th century. Reno's career was not without controversy. She faced sharp criticism for her handling of the 1993 federal raid on David Koresh's Branch Davidian compound in Waco, TX. The 2000 seizure of young Cuban refugee Elián González sparked a lengthy negotiation with Cuba, while then-President Clinton's personal scandals caused additional strain. Following her tenure as attorney general, Reno unsuccessfully ran for governor of Florida against incumbent Jeb Bush in 2002. She is survived by her sister and seven nieces and nephews.