FBI file on Steve Jobs reveals he was considered for White House position

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014


The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has released its 191-page file on Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, revealing he was considered for an appointment to the White House in 1991, and that there was a bomb threat against him in 1985.



The public document is now available to view in its entirety at the FBI's official website. The document, first highlighted by Gawker, reveals that Jobs was considered for appointment to the President's Export Council by the George H.W. Bush administration in 1991.



A level III background investigation on Jobs was conducted at the request of the White House as he was being considered for the position. The file, author John Cook noted, includes an uncharacteristically high number of derogatory comments for an FBI investigation.



"Often the agents only interview employers and people who are suggested by the candidate," Cook wrote. "It's obviously unclear who these quoted folks are, but if they were among the people Jobs referred the agents to, then he didn't know his friends very well."



The names of the people who made the comments are redacted, but they include numerous statements characterizing Jobs as "deceptive," and having "questionable" moral character. One person said that "Mr. Jobs has integrity as long as he gets his way."



The documents also reveal a bomb threat that was called into Apple's headquarters on Feb. 7, 1985, in which an unnamed caller claimed to have placed "devices" to go off in the homes of certain individuals. The person said that a million dollars must be paid to them or they would detonate the bombs.











In response, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office canine unit made sweeps of the victims' residences and vehicles. No bombs were located.



The FBI's San Francisco Division maintained contact with Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., but no additional threatening calls were placed to the company. With no new information obtained, the case was considered closed as of August of 1985.



[ View article on AppleInsider ]

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 44
    It seems in Steve Jobs life.
  • Reply 2 of 44
    So every person who has a background check done by the FBI, even if they are only being considered for a government position, can have that report publicly displayed later? Seems like a big privacy issue. How many other people have had their entire history put online for everyone to see by the FBI?
  • Reply 3 of 44
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    A level III background investigation on Jobs was conducted at the request of the White House as he was being considered for the position. The file, author John Cook noted, includes an uncharacteristically high number of derogatory comments for an FBI investigation.






    I wonder if that is why he was passed over for appointment? Who got it instead?
  • Reply 4 of 44
    ...iFBI
  • Reply 5 of 44
    dualiedualie Posts: 334member
    So a very successful thirty-something has people who will say bad things about him behind his back. Surprise surprise.
  • Reply 6 of 44
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by techguy911 View Post


    So every person who has a background check done by the FBI, even if they are only being considered for a government position, can have that report publicly displayed later? Seems like a big privacy issue. How many other people have had their entire history put online for everyone to see by the FBI?



    on top of that, they left his Social Security # completely viewable...

    Maybe it doesn't matter once you are are dead perhaps but it seems like someone could try to steal his identify nonetheless.
  • Reply 7 of 44
    ?They recommended him for a position of trust and responsibility,? according to the FBI files.



    ?Several individuals questioned Mr. Jobs?s honesty stating that Mr. Jobs will twist the truth and distort reality in order to achieve his goals,? according to the FBI file.



    then this:



    One section said, ?It was [redacted] opinion that honesty and integrity are not required qualities to hold such a position.?



    According to http://www.washingtonpost.com/busine...U1Q_story.html



    No wonder people hate the government....
  • Reply 8 of 44
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Fernando View Post


    on top of that, they left his Social Security # completely viewable...

    Maybe it doesn't matter once you are are dead perhaps but it seems like someone could try to steal his identify nonetheless.



    Your SSN becomes public record after you die, in case you weren't aware, in the Social Security Death Master File. In fact one of the reasons it's done is to prevent identity theft after death.
  • Reply 9 of 44
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    The public document is now available to view in its entirety at the FBI's official website.



    Wow. The document contains horrible stuff. It should be read or a least glanced through.
  • Reply 10 of 44
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by techguy911 View Post


    So every person who has a background check done by the FBI, even if they are only being considered for a government position, can have that report publicly displayed later? Seems like a big privacy issue. How many other people have had their entire history put online for everyone to see by the FBI?



    Likely it depends in large part on the historical importance of public figures. It is difficult to think that private individuals are under the same rules as celebrities and other public figures.



    The other consideration is transparency in government. It seems like a good thing that the FBI's work product be scrutinized, absent national security issues.
  • Reply 11 of 44
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by drobforever View Post


    ?Several individuals questioned Mr. Jobs?s honesty stating that Mr. Jobs will twist the truth and distort reality in order to achieve his goals,? according to the FBI file.



    Translation: RDF
  • Reply 12 of 44
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


    Translation: RDF



    Exactly. And how is that different from any politician?



    "Steve Jobs actually had something come out of his RDFing as opposed to deadlock and political nonsense?"



    Well, yeah...
  • Reply 13 of 44
    [REDACTED], so that jealous people could tear him down.
  • Reply 14 of 44
    mazda 3smazda 3s Posts: 1,613member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by I am a Zither Zather Zuzz View Post


    I wonder if that is why he was passed over for appointment? Who got it instead?







    Quote:

    Despite reservations about his personal integrity, the interviewees all said there was no reason Jobs should not be given the presidential appointment to the Export Council, which he subsequently received.



    http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/201...jobs-fbi-file/
  • Reply 15 of 44
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    He would have made a great president. His ability to successfully invoke the reality distortion field would have come in handy. Term after term administrations have attempted to do this unsuccessfully. It just comes off as bald-faced lies.
  • Reply 16 of 44
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by paxman View Post


    He would have made a great president. His ability to successfully invoke the reality distortion field would have come in handy.



    The same could be said about Obama, but he's been a terrible president. America resembles Nazi Germany more and more every day.
  • Reply 17 of 44
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    I have it on good authority that...



    ▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬▬ ▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬ ▬ ▬▬▬. ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬ ▬▬▬▬ ▬▬. ▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬ ▬▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬ ▬▬▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬ ▬▬▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬▬ ▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬ ▬▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬▬.



    ▬ ▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬▬▬. ▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ▬▬. ▬▬▬ ▬▬▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬ ▬ ▬▬▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬. ▬▬ ▬ ▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬ ▬▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬ ▬▬▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬ ▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬▬▬▬ ▬▬▬▬ ▬▬ ▬ ▬▬▬▬.



    Or so I'm told.





    edit: Hey what happened to my post? Must be Carnivore.
  • Reply 18 of 44
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    The same could be said about Obama, but he's been a terrible president. America resembles Nazi Germany more and more every day.



    17 posts in and you invoke Godwin's Law. A new record?
  • Reply 19 of 44
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    The same could be said about Obama, but he's been a terrible president. America resembles Nazi Germany more and more every day.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post


    17 posts in and you invoke Godwin's Law. A new record?



    Yeah, I was thinking the same.



    People who say 'X' resembles Nazi Germany tend to have absolutely no idea what Nazi Germany was like.



    For one thing, America if anything is becoming more socialist, i.e. left wing, not fascist, right wing.
  • Reply 20 of 44
    conrailconrail Posts: 489member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    The same could be said about Obama, but he's been a terrible president. America resembles Nazi Germany more and more every day.



    Why? Are we finally building decent highways? Hosting the Olympics?
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