Reno May Run For Fla. Governor

The Associated Press Friday, May 18, 2001; 7:32 p.m. EDT

MIAMI –– Former Attorney General Janet Reno said Friday she is seriously considering running for governor next year, which could pit her against Gov. Jeb Bush, the president's brother.

Reno, 62, said in a telephone interview from her Miami-area home Friday she will likely decide by the end of the year whether to mount a bid.

"I have to decide what can I do that would best serve the interest of Florida," Reno said. "I want to talk about the vision I have of what the state should be. Maybe there are other people out there who could address that better than I can, but let's see."

She declined to say what issues she would campaign on, saying that can wait until she announces her decision.

Reno acknowledged that her role overseeing the siege of the Branch Davidian complex in Waco, Texas, which ended with 80 church members dead, and the seizure of Elian Gonzalez could be issues in a campaign.

But she stands by her actions in both cases, noting an investigation by former GOP Sen. John Danforth cleared her of any wrongdoing in the Waco siege.

"He said I could not have walked away after four (federal) agents were killed and 16 were injured" in the raid that preceded the siege, Reno said Reno has had Parkinson's disease since 1995, but she said it didn't affect her performance as attorney general and it wouldn't affect her performance as governor.

"It would make my hand shake, that's all," she said. She said she frequently kayaks and other outdoor activities without any adverse effect.

Reno, who was elected Miami-Dade County's state attorney five times before serving as attorney general, said she didn't know how much money she would have to raise to mount a viable campaign, but said it would be in the millions.

"I think it would be very expensive," she said.

Reno also said she is personally opposed to the death penalty, but said she could carry it out if she was governor. As attorney general, Reno approved seeking the death penalty against Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and others.

"If the death penalty was legally applied, I would seek it and sign the death warrant," she said.

The first female attorney general in U.S. history, Reno was surrounded by controversy for virtually her entire tenure but stayed nearly eight years in office – longer than any attorney general in the 20th century.

She had a sometimes chilly relations with a White House that thought she ordered too many independent counsel investigations of President Clinton and top administration officials.

She also was the target of persistent criticism from congressional Republicans who thought she should have sought appointment of an independent counsel to investigate allegations of Clinton-Gore fund-raising violations.

Still, Reno served longer than all but one of the 77 other attorneys general – William Wert, in office for nearly 12 years ending in 1829.

She said if she could revisit any decision it would be the deadly raid on the Davidian compound.

Many in Miami's Cuban-American community were furious when Reno used federal agents to remove 6-year-old Elian from his Miami relatives' home so he could return to Cuba with his father last year.

Elian had been found floating on an inner tube off Fort Lauderdale in 1999, after his mother and 10 other Cubans drowned while trying reach Florida in a small boat.

-- Anonymous, May 19, 2001

Answers

Response to Reno May Run For Fla. Governor

The Justice Dept. has been so protective of Clinton and Gore, under her direction, that I feel that should be the main issue regarding her record at Justice.

-- Anonymous, May 19, 2001

Response to Reno May Run For Fla. Governor

I don't think it will be enough to get the average person's interest, Peter, although I agree it would be my biggest problem with her.

All the opposition has to do is plaster That Photo everywhere. The fact that the gun really wasn't pointing at Elian Gonzales won't be the issue; the federal agent in full combat/riot gear going after an obviously terrified 6-year old child will be.

-- Anonymous, May 19, 2001