In 1991, Jobs, during his exile from Apple, was considered for an appointed position on the U.S. President George H. W. Bush’s Export Council. Now, more than 20 years later, the FBI has released the details of a background investigation on Jobs to the public.
On the page 38, Jobs’s “past drug use” is mentioned. Those interviewed “also commented that, in the past, Mr. Jobs was not supportive of [name redacted] (the mother of his child born out of wedlock) and their daughter; however, recently has become more supportive.” There are 191 pages in all, so it’s shorter than reading his biography, but might be more fun because it includes some digging.
“During the late 1960s and early 1970s , Mr. Jobs may have experimented with illegal drugs, having come from that generation,” the report says, citing a redacted source. Another source interviewed by the FBI said he was aware that Mr. Jobs used marijuana and LSD while they attended college.
The report said, “Mr Jobs’ secretary informed SA [special agent] … that Mr Jobs was unavailable for an interview for three weeks. Mr Jobs could not even see SA … for one hour.” On the form, Mr Jobs had ticked a box declaring that he had not used or dealt illegal drugs for the previous five years. The FBI report said, “Several individuals commented concerning past drug use on the part of Mr Jobs.”
The background check with most of the text is bureaucracy and jargon baffling to most offers a fascinating insight into what Steve Jobs was like, who he was like as a person, and even his views on politics and his fellow person.
