George Steinbrenner: Legendary Owner's Time as FBI Informant Earned Him a Pardon

George Steinbrenner Was Reportedly an FBI Informant

In a classic case of you scratch my back, I will allow you to side step federal prison, the New York Times reports George Steinbrenner was once an FBI informant. And you thought his resume was full to begin with.

The tale begins with the 1972 presidential re-election campaign of Richard Nixon. Steinbrenner was found to have contributed to the campaign illegally.

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While fined, Steinbrenner never received jail time. He searched long and hard for vindication after his federal case. A pardon eluded him all through the Carter administration.

Despite being denied a pardon in 1979, he gave his help to the FBI without hesitation in the early '80s. It seemed that help eventually lead to his pardon by President Reagan in 1989. Richard Sandomir writing for the New York Times describes Steinbrenner's motivation.

It is not surprising that Steinbrenner helped the F.B.I., to help his case for a pardon but perhaps also to demonstrate his avowed patriotism. But clearly, he wanted a pardon. He pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate campaign financing laws and to trying to ?influence and intimidate? employees of his company into lying to a grand jury. He did not serve jail time but was fined $15,000.

It seems the Boss just wanted to pass another obstacle. He never took anything lightly. Most would have seen the illegal contributions scandal as just one little blemish on an otherwise amazing life. Not Steinbrenner.

He wanted another win. In Steinbrenner form, he got it.

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