The Boss Files: George Steinbrenner, FBI informant

Updated (Tuesday, 12:51 a.m.): In order to gain a pardon for his 1974 conviction stemming from illegal political campaign contributions, George Steinbrenner helped the FBI on “certain highly confidential national security and criminal justice matters” throughout the 1970s and 1980s, documents released today show. As the Wall Street Journal and Associated Press reported, the documents were released in response to a FOIA request at the time of Steinbrenner’s death, and they highlight how Steinbrenner worked with the Bureau and NYPD over the span of 11 years to help clear his reputation. Anyone interested can read them all right here.

One of the more intriguing files released was a memo from a discussion Steinbrenner had with the FBI about his conviction. Steinbrenner in the late 1970s, blamed his lawyers for “advising him to make the illegal campaign contributions.” He thus tried to secure the pardon for business purposes. He wrote in a letter that his felony record “has adversely affected my business and professional activities [and] limited my participation in civic, charitable and community affairs. A pardon would, I believe, substantially reduce or eliminate that effect and would permit me to contribute more of my services to my community.” The Yankees had no comment on the documents.