Mabel Walker Willebrandt: The Elizabeth Warren of her day.

[Brigid]

The fascinating story of the woman Assistant Attorney General of the 1920's who was in charge of Prohibition enforcement. In her day she was the most famous woman in the country outside of the movies. :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabel_Walker_Willebrandt

[FarCenter]

1. I hope that Elizabeth Warren is not enforcing laws she doesn't believe in out of personal ambition!

[Brigid]

2. I don't think personal ambition was her only motive.

It is true that she left the Justice Department when she didn't become Attorney General as she had hoped, but enforcing Prohibition probably wasn't the best avenue for that anyway. Also, she put her career in jeopardy when she refused to prosecute at least one case in which most of the evidence was gathered through wiretapping, which she regarded as a dangerous invasion of privacy.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

3. Didn't Willebrandt refer to herself as an "instrument of God"?

I agree that she's fascinating, but not the comparison to Elizabeth Warren.

[jaysunb]

4. Gender and public figure are the only comparison I see.

Help me out here.....

[MFrohike]

5. Um

She was a civil servant who injected herself into a Presidential race. No thanks.