Story highlights Laura Coates: Janet Reno was far from being a 'Washington insider'

Reno resolved not to confuse 'moral hubris' with her 'oath of office,' writes Coates

Laura Coates is a CNN legal analyst. She is a former assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia and trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. Follow her @thelauracoates. The views expressed are her own.

(CNN) It's been more than 20 years since the late Janet Reno led the Department of Justice. Since becoming the first woman to serve as attorney general of the United States, our nation has seen its fair share of significant firsts, not the least of which is the Democratic nomination of Hillary Clinton to be the first female president of the United States. While I was undeniably inspired by Ms. Reno's career, I also can't help but reflect on the ironically small distance our nation has traveled since she was in office.

Janet Reno's mantra appeared to be: The Department of Justice should be apolitical. Yet, on the eve of this historic presidential election, we are arguing about the veracity and viability of that mantra.

Laura Coates

Political outsiders have long chided the doctrine of separation of powers as a congressional punchline. They claim that the Department of Justice, which includes the FBI, is a marionette whose strings are wound and manipulated by the political party in power. Autonomy is subordinate to partisan popularity and an overwhelming desire for career longevity.

But that's one of the things that people should respect greatly about Janet Reno. Neither optics nor popularity trumped her adherence to the law.

Sometimes her steadfast approach led to triumphs. Attorney General Reno enjoyed widespread popularity and experienced bipartisan support for her many legal accomplishments during her tenure. Her prosecutorial focus seamlessly shifted between industries, frustrating any attempt to pigeonhole her agenda.