Dowd Is Target of Charges

George Steinbrenner on Thursday accused a court stenographer of tampering with sworn statements that he and other New York Yankees officials made during baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent’s investigation of Steinbrenner’s ties to a gambler.

A $1.56-million lawsuit filed in Manhattan’s federal court alleged that the changes in testimony, “all to Steinbrenner’s damage and detriment,” were ordered by John Dowd, an attorney who assisted Vincent.

Dowd was not named as a party in the suit, filed against Esquire Reporting Co. Inc., its owner Malcolm L. Elevy and Philip C. Rizzuti, the notary public and court reporter of the interviews.

Steinbrenner agreed July 30 to be permanently banned from the day-to-day operations of the Yankees after a report by Vincent concluded that Steinbrenner’s involvement with gambler Howard Spira violated baseball rules.