The FBI's files on Steve Jobs • Hacker News Board

Re: The FBI's files on Steve Jobs

#71

Post by jordan0day » Thu, Feb 09, 2012, 4:33 PM UTC

revscat wrote: post #61

rsmiller510 wrote: post #52

This is outstanding reporting requesting and staying on the request for information, and it's a fascinating look at Jobs and the government process of vetting White House appointments in 1991. Note that they are still obsessed with the idea of anyone belonging to or contributing to the Communist Party and even checked if had relatives in foreign countries who might have been Communists (they couldn't find any). I als…

> Note that they are still obsessed with the idea of anyone belonging to or contributing to the Communist Party and even checked if had relatives in foreign countries who might have been Communists (they couldn't find any). Their continued focus upon past drug use is also anachronistic. I have not yet read the the document all the way thought, but so far they have mentioned it no fewer than a dozen times. The FBI's p…

Maybe, but the whole point of these interviews are to try to determine how susceptible a person is to being "turned", that is, blackmailed/bribed/forced against their will to working against US interests.

Maybe the FBI is being stodgy, but if someone has been addicted to certain illegal drugs (I know, I know, use doesn't mean addiction) that's one additional angle an "enemy" could use to exploit this person.

Re: The FBI's files on Steve Jobs

#72

Post by mrleinad » Thu, Feb 09, 2012, 4:34 PM UTC

johngalt wrote: post #4

From the background check interviews: " concluded the interview by stating that even though he does not consider Mr. Jobs to be a friend, he (Mr. Jobs) possesses the qualities to assume a high level political position. It was 's opinion that honesty and integrity are not required qualities to hold such a position."

"He characterized Mr Jobs as a deceptive individual who is not completely forthright and honest. He stated that Mr. Jobs will twist the truth and distort reality in order to achieve his goals."

Yep. Looks like he's the man for the position.

Re: The FBI's files on Steve Jobs

#73

Post by ArbitraryLimits » Thu, Feb 09, 2012, 4:36 PM UTC

rsmiller510 wrote: post #52

This is outstanding reporting requesting and staying on the request for information, and it's a fascinating look at Jobs and the government process of vetting White House appointments in 1991. Note that they are still obsessed with the idea of anyone belonging to or contributing to the Communist Party and even checked if had relatives in foreign countries who might have been Communists (they couldn't find any). I als…

One of my favorite tidbits from "The Best And The Brightest" is that Dean Rusk, President Kennedy's nominee for Secretary of State, had to fill out a security questionnaire like this one, and to the question, "Have any of your relatives been part of an organization whose purpose was to subvert the government of the United States?" he answered "yes" because both his grandfathers had fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War.

Re: The FBI's files on Steve Jobs

#74

Post by mjwalshe » Thu, Feb 09, 2012, 4:38 PM UTC

spwmoni wrote: post #54

mjwalshe wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And why would you ever ever release information on vetting ok Steve is dead but all the people who where interviewed are not and neither are Steves family. Would you like to read a recently deceased loved ones warts and all developed vetting report - what public interest is served by this. It is also open to abuse by muck raking hacks I sure Guido Fawlks would love to see the files on Polly Toynbees (Guardian journal…

You use the phrase "muck raking" like it's a bad thing.

Seen any of the coverage of the leveson inquiry have we

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/leveson-inquiry

Re: The FBI's files on Steve Jobs

#75

Post by jordan0day » Thu, Feb 09, 2012, 4:40 PM UTC

rsmiller510 wrote: post #52

This is outstanding reporting requesting and staying on the request for information, and it's a fascinating look at Jobs and the government process of vetting White House appointments in 1991. Note that they are still obsessed with the idea of anyone belonging to or contributing to the Communist Party and even checked if had relatives in foreign countries who might have been Communists (they couldn't find any). I als…

To expand on liber8's point, the "red scare" and such seems funny and unreasonable now, but it's important to remember that during the cold war, the USA and the Soviet Union were very much enemies.

To put it in another way, would we think the FBI was out-of-bounds today if background checks today included determining if the person being vetted (or their family members) were associated with a terrorist organization? As much as most of us would consider the "terrorism" threat overblown, we'd accuse the FBI of gross negligence if an Al-Qaeda operative made it into a position in the US government.

Re: The FBI's files on Steve Jobs

#76

Post by gee_totes » Thu, Feb 09, 2012, 4:41 PM UTC

_delirium wrote: post #53

shimon_e wrote: post #44

Of interest, the FBI could not find his birth records.

This lends credibility to my conspiracy theory that Steve Jobs was a cyborg.

I always thought he was a secret Muslim born in Kenya

Re: The FBI's files on Steve Jobs

#77

Post by troymc » Thu, Feb 09, 2012, 4:46 PM UTC

"At the time of his dismissal [from Apple Computer] he was the general manager of the Mackintosh Division of Apple..."

Did they spell "Macintosh" with a 'k' back then or did the FBI person spell it wrong?

The fruit is spelled "McIntosh".

Re: The FBI's files on Steve Jobs

#78

Post by mjwalshe » Thu, Feb 09, 2012, 4:48 PM UTC

mjwalshe wrote: post #38

scott_s wrote: post #3

Wow, back in 1991, he was being considered for a Presidential Appointment: http://www.muckrock.com/static/foia_documents/Jobs.pdf That's what all of the documents seem to be from. To be clear, the FBI wasn't keeping tabs on Jobs because they thought he was up to no good, it was the standard background check they do when someone is being considered for a high level government position. Now the speculation starts as to…

And why would you ever ever release information on vetting ok Steve is dead but all the people who where interviewed are not and neither are Steves family. Would you like to read a recently deceased loved ones warts and all developed vetting report - what public interest is served by this. It is also open to abuse by muck raking hacks I sure Guido Fawlks would love to see the files on Polly Toynbees (Guardian journal…

Voted down Jesus H Crist! From the information this isn't how much some litte town in some fly over state spent of running the dog catching service.

Its the results of a TS Clearance Vetting FFS. Do you think people are going to be open about some one if potentialy its going to be vomited over the internets whilst they are still alive.

Re: The FBI's files on Steve Jobs

#79

Post by ahi » Thu, Feb 09, 2012, 4:48 PM UTC

tingletech wrote: post #31

I find it odd that the did not redact his social security number.

All SSNs of deceased people are publicly available. It helps prevent fraud. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security_Death_Index

Re: The FBI's files on Steve Jobs

#80

Post by troymc » Thu, Feb 09, 2012, 4:50 PM UTC

"He belonged to no organizations other than the New York Athletic Club however he had never been in the New York Athletic Club and knew nothing with regard to their membership policies."

Why was he a member of the New York Athletic Club? Did someone give him a membership as a gift?

(At the time, he did own an apartment at 146 Central Park West in New York City. [Edit: I didn't know that either. It was stated in the paragraph directly above the one mentioning the NY Athletic Club.])