USITC Internship -- Communications Between Assistant General Counsel and Claudio Grossman

I interned at the U.S. International Trade Commission during the first six months of 1984 while I was an LL.M. candidate at American University Law School.  USITC assistant general counsel Michael Mabile oversaw my internship;  all communications between the USITC and American University were between Michael Mabile and AU's LL.M. program director, Claudio Grossman (now law school dean).  At the conclusion of my internship Michael Mabile prepared a performance evaluation that he submitted to Dean Grossman.  I recall the evaluation stated about me: "has shown some creativity in developing legal arguments."

The following letter was returned to me by the USPS as undeliverable; it was never read by the addressee Michael Mabile.

March 28, 1997
3801 Connecticut Avenue, NW #136
Washington, DC 20008-4530

Michael P. Mabile, Esq.
700 13th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005

RE: Weapons Possession – Intent to Inflict Grievous Bodily Harm/Possible Intent to Commit Murder – D.C. Corporation Counsel Affirmation – Possible Concealment of State and/or Federal Weapons Law Violations

Dear Mr. Mabile:

During the period March 1988 to October 1991 I was employed as a legal assistant at the law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld (“Akin Gump”). Attorney managers at Akin Gump terminated my employment effective October 29, 1991 upon determining, in consultation with a psychiatrist, that a complaint of harassment I had lodged against several co-workers was attributable to a psychiatric symptom (“ideas of reference”) prominent in the psychotic disorders and typically associated with a risk of violent behavior. See Freedman v. D.C. Dept. of Human Rights, D.C. Superior Court no. MPA 95-14 (final order issued June 10, 1996) (xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx, J.). In the period immediately after my job termination senior Akin Gump managers determined that it was advisable to secure the office of my direct supervisor against a possible homicidal assault, which it was feared I might commit.

During the period January 1984 to June 1984 I interned, as a student in the graduate law program at The American University, in the Office of General Counsel of the U.S. International Trade Commission (“USITC”). You will recall that at the time of my internship you served as assistant general counsel of the USITC, in which capacity you had several communications with American University Law School (“AU”) Dean Claudio Grossman, and prepared a written evaluation of my performance.

I have been under investigation by the U.S. Secret Service as a potential security risk to President William J. Clinton, and was interrogated at the Washington Field Office by Special Agent Philip C. Leadroot (202 435-5100) as recently as February 1996, about one year ago.

I request that you candidly disclose to federal authorities any information, derived from your past professional association with me, that in any way supports Akin Gump’s concerns—affirmed as genuine by the D.C. Office of Corporation Counsel—relating to my potential for violence, intent to acquire firearms, or intent to inflict grievous bodily harm (or commit murder).

Akin Gump admits that it was aware that I interned at the USITC.  See Freedman v. D.C. Dept. of Human Rights, no. MPA 95-14, Record on Appeal at 139, 142, and 354. I therefore further request that you disclose the content of any possible communications you may have had with any Akin Gump attorneys (possibly including Malcolm Lassman, Earl L Segal, Dennis M; Race, or Laurence J. Hoffman) relating to the subject matter of my internship at the USITC or my tenure at Akin Gump. As you know Akin Gump has a major international trade practice, and counts Patrick F.J. Macrory, an AU instructor, among its members.

Sincerely,

Gary Freedman

cc: Kenneth W. Starr, Trustee, American University