Saint Louis University’s Great Issues Committee is currently
working on bringing former Attorney General Janet Reno to speak on
April 19, at 2:30 p.m. in the Busch Student Center’s Saint Louis
Room.

Reno was nominated in 1993 by President Bill Clinton as the
first woman to serve as a United States attorney general. A Harvard
Law graduate, she worked as Florida’s attorney general before
hitting the national scene. While serving as U.S. attorney general,
Reno was known for her enforcement of child-support laws and
defending abortion rights.

“We are still in the process of bringing Janet Reno, after three
weeks of work with Greater Talent Network Inc., an organization
that represents speakers, and is her agency,” said John Eckert,
chair of the Great Issues Committee. “She has been approved to come
to talk to us. Our legal department just needs to OK it. She has
been easy to work with so far.”

Reno has been known for her pro-choice stance and for actively
fighting for abortion rights.

“She is pro-choice,” Eckert said, “so we had to check it out
though the ranks because it could be a controversy when we invite
people whose views are generally different from the University.
Since she will not be talking on the issue, it was not a big deal .
. . She is very good at talking to students, and that was a big
factor in getting her to talk to us.”

The topic of the speech will be “International Aspects of
American Justice.”

“The Great Issues Committee brings speakers that will bring up
new debates and issues for the SLU community,” Eckert said.

The Great Issues Committee has been responsible for bringing
speakers this semester such as Daniel Berrigan, S.J., and will be
bringing F. W. de Klerk today at 4 p.m. in the Busch Student
Center. The SLU community can also expect John Foppe in the coming
weeks, and the committee is working on a panel discussion about The
Passion of the Christ.