Anyone wanting to know how Thompson got his start should see this 1985 movie starring Sissy Spacek.
"A woman is determined to reveal the truth about an insidious political corruption. In doing so she risks her safety, career and reputation but will not stop asking questions until the truth is known.
Before Jeffrey Wigand, before Erin Brockovich, there was Marie Ragghianti.
and there was Fred Thompson, the prosecutor she went to for help - who ended up playing himself in the movie.
This is a good post, but a bit of trivia. Fred was in private practice when Marie came to him. She was working with the FBI but they were slow, so she hired Fred and sued the governor. After she sued, the FBI and the prosecutors went after the governor.