Ed Helms

Mabel's speech also included one heck of a zinger.

Mabel's speech also included one heck of a zinger.

Al fired back and accused Mabel of leading a bigoted anti-Catholic whisper campaign, which was actually a pretty fair characterization. Al even gave Mabel a nickname, Prohibition Portia. Now, as you history geeks will know, that's a reference to the Portia who apparently played a role in Julius Caesar getting knifed on the Senate floor.

Al fired back and accused Mabel of leading a bigoted anti-Catholic whisper campaign, which was actually a pretty fair characterization. Al even gave Mabel a nickname, Prohibition Portia. Now, as you history geeks will know, that's a reference to the Portia who apparently played a role in Julius Caesar getting knifed on the Senate floor.

Unlike Mabel's limp dog whistle zinger, Al landed a direct hit. Prohibition Portia stuck. Mabel absolutely hated it, which is part of what makes it such a good nickname, I guess. But also, Mabel, come on. I mean, it's pretty badass. Suffice to say, Mabel was pissed. She was hellbent on exposing Al Smith's New York City, his hometown, as a den of vice.

Unlike Mabel's limp dog whistle zinger, Al landed a direct hit. Prohibition Portia stuck. Mabel absolutely hated it, which is part of what makes it such a good nickname, I guess. But also, Mabel, come on. I mean, it's pretty badass. Suffice to say, Mabel was pissed. She was hellbent on exposing Al Smith's New York City, his hometown, as a den of vice.

And she came up with a plan straight out of Carrie Nation's playbook to humiliate him. After whiffing in her countless legal attempts to enforce prohibition, and then failing miserably with the freaking Ku Klux Klan, this was Mabel's Hail Mary to make her mark. Now she was going to bust heads. She was going to go into the speakeasies of New York City, smash them up, and shut them down.

And she came up with a plan straight out of Carrie Nation's playbook to humiliate him. After whiffing in her countless legal attempts to enforce prohibition, and then failing miserably with the freaking Ku Klux Klan, this was Mabel's Hail Mary to make her mark. Now she was going to bust heads. She was going to go into the speakeasies of New York City, smash them up, and shut them down.

Obviously, she wasn't going to do it herself. She needed an army. Now, Mabel knew the NYPD was useless to her. New York cops had long ago said, forget about it, to enforcing prohibition. So she picked up the phone and summoned agents from all over the country, from Denver to Fort Worth to Kansas City.

Obviously, she wasn't going to do it herself. She needed an army. Now, Mabel knew the NYPD was useless to her. New York cops had long ago said, forget about it, to enforcing prohibition. So she picked up the phone and summoned agents from all over the country, from Denver to Fort Worth to Kansas City.

And in June 1928, as Al Smith was feeling good and officially accepting the Democratic nomination in Houston, Mabel's agents converged on the Big Apple. Eight years into Prohibition, savvy New Yorkers could spot a Prohibition agent a mile away. The most shabbily dressed man in any nightclub was always a secret agent. But Mabel had prepped her crew months in advance.

And in June 1928, as Al Smith was feeling good and officially accepting the Democratic nomination in Houston, Mabel's agents converged on the Big Apple. Eight years into Prohibition, savvy New Yorkers could spot a Prohibition agent a mile away. The most shabbily dressed man in any nightclub was always a secret agent. But Mabel had prepped her crew months in advance.

She had them dressed to the nines, so they could blend into the city crowd and glide into the swanky watering holes. And maybe even throw back a few. And then these impeccably groomed agents stepped out to the center of speakeasy dance floors and got down to business. And I don't mean dance moves.

She had them dressed to the nines, so they could blend into the city crowd and glide into the swanky watering holes. And maybe even throw back a few. And then these impeccably groomed agents stepped out to the center of speakeasy dance floors and got down to business. And I don't mean dance moves.

They made their arrests and they shut down the bars. The raids would lead to a handsome haul for Mabel, over 100 indictments of speakeasy owners. As the raids were going down, Mabel sat behind her mahogany desk at the DOJ, pretty damn pleased with herself. These massive sweeps did exactly what they were intended to do. They became known as the June Raids, and they became a huge national story.

They made their arrests and they shut down the bars. The raids would lead to a handsome haul for Mabel, over 100 indictments of speakeasy owners. As the raids were going down, Mabel sat behind her mahogany desk at the DOJ, pretty damn pleased with herself. These massive sweeps did exactly what they were intended to do. They became known as the June Raids, and they became a huge national story.

And as Mabel was unleashing hell from the DOJ, a few blocks away, other plans were bubbling away at the Department of Treasury, where the Prohibition Bureau had a new commissioner, James Duran. Duran had presided over the implementation of the government's alcohol poisoning scheme, Remember, Formula 6 was just one of dozens of formulas the government cooked up to make drinks undrinkable.

And as Mabel was unleashing hell from the DOJ, a few blocks away, other plans were bubbling away at the Department of Treasury, where the Prohibition Bureau had a new commissioner, James Duran. Duran had presided over the implementation of the government's alcohol poisoning scheme, Remember, Formula 6 was just one of dozens of formulas the government cooked up to make drinks undrinkable.

And just like they did for all the other government formulas, the bootleggers responded. In stills and makeshift labs outside the nation's capital, those bootlegger chemists were burning the midnight oil, coming up with a recipe to counter Formula 6. They re-distilled the tainted alcohol and extracted the poisons.

And just like they did for all the other government formulas, the bootleggers responded. In stills and makeshift labs outside the nation's capital, those bootlegger chemists were burning the midnight oil, coming up with a recipe to counter Formula 6. They re-distilled the tainted alcohol and extracted the poisons.