Over the years, presidents have made some pretty controversial pardons that have gone on to raise a few eyebrows. In fact, pretty much every modern president has been criticized for his pardons, but many of Ronald Reagan’s seemed at odds with his reputation as a “law-and-order” president. According to The New York Times, those to whom he granted a pardon in the last week of his term included tax evaders, gun smugglers, cocaine dealers, and others who challenged law and order. None of them were actually in jail when they received their pardons, so they basically just received official exoneration for crimes for which they’d already been punished.

But the most controversial pardon of that group was a man who was no stranger to controversy himself: New York Yankees owner George M. Steinbrenner. The owner was used to being in the media spotlight. His temper, which caused him to vociferously rake his players over the coals in public, often eclipsed his team’s successes on the field. Let’s take a look into Steinbrenner’s history to see what Ronald Reagan pardoned him for.

Ronald Reagan pardoned Steinbrenner for violating campaign finance laws

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