Professional Documents
Culture Documents
RE: Social Security Disability Fraud -- Claim no. xxx xx xxxx -- DOB 12/23/1953
Further to my letter to your office dated February 28, 2020, I submit a detailed, 43-page legal
document I filed with a District of Columbia agency on January 5, 1993 that reflects my mental
state at that time.
1. SSA determined that my disability began effective October 29, 1991, based on my employer's
disability determination. The employer's consulting psychiatrist (Gertrude R. Ticho, M.D.)
advised senior counsel Dennis M. Race, Esq. that my thinking was paranoid and that persons
with similar mental impairment can become violent.
2. In September 1992, Napoleon Cuenco, M.D. (GW) diagnosed bipolar disorder (with paranoid
thinking).
3. On about January 12, 1993, my then-treating psychiatrist Suzanne M. Pitts, M.D. (GW)
started lithium treatment for bipolar disorder, which I took for about three weeks without
therapeutic benefit.
4. In June 1993 SSA psychiatric consultant Paul Yessler, M.D. assessed me and subsequently
submitted a written report to SSA that presumably supported a finding of disability.
5. In mid-August 1993, SSA granted my disability claim, with the effective date of disability,
October 29, 1991, the date of job termination by Dennis M. Race, Esq.
The document I submit under cover does not appear to disclose any thought disorder in the time
frame late 1992 to early January 1993.
Sincerely,
Gary Freedman
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND
MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
v.
1
an hourly rate of $13.00/hour (See Attachment A). In a discussion with
Respondent’s then Legal Assistant administrator, Margarita C. Babb,
immediately prior to his being hired, Complainant was advised by Ms.
Babb that he would be assigned to litigation support tasks to be
performed for the client Eastern airlines, but that when litigation support
tasks for Eastern Airlines ceased, Complainant would be assigned to the
Legal Assistant program.
2
Litigation support tasks on which Complainant was engaged during that
period and inconsistent with Respondent's representation to the Office of
Human Rights that Complainant was employed to manage documents for
the client Eastern Airlines.
3
the Legal Assistant administrative staff, to interrupt his work for the client
Eastern Airlines to performs assignments typically performed by other
legal assistants and not by document coders. In late March 1989, for
example, Complainant was requested to interrupt his work for the client
Eastern Airlines to prepare a digest of a deposition transcript for attorney
John Potter for a wrongful termination matter unrelated to Eastern
Airlines (See Attachment C). On July 28, 1989, Complainant was
requested by the Legal Assistant Coordinator John Neary to cite check a
brief for attorney Merrill Spiegel [whose office, by the way, was adjacent to
that of Dennis M. Race, Esq.--they may have shared a secretary (Barbara
Rufener)--I'm not sure now] for a RICO matter for the client Craig Hall,
unrelated to the client Eastern Airlines.
4
knowledge of Complainant’s education level and professional experience
(See Attachment A), and Respondent’s promise in June 1988 that
Complainant would eventually be assigned substantive tasks in the Legal
Assistant program.
5
During the entire period of Complainant's employment with the
Respondent, Complainant was harassed, on the basis of perceived sexual
orientation, by staff persons, associates, and partners of the Respondent
(See Attachment E). The Legal Assistant Administrator, Maggie Sinnott,
routinely acted in a sexually offensive manner when she saw
Complainant. Complainant was subjected to sexually offensive behaviors
by the Litigation Support Administrator, Chris Robertson (See
Attachment E). Also, Complainant was told by a co-worker on May 3,
1989 that there was a rumor circulating among Respondent's employees
that Complainant was a homosexual (See Attachment E).
6
Complainant's request, reassigned Complainant from a conference room,
"2 Wyatt," which Complainant had shared with other temporary
employees, to a secretary's work station. On no occasion did Complainant
request in any manner that he be isolated.
Shortly after being hired directly by the Respondent on June 13, 1988,
Complainant was assigned to a private office on the fifth floor, which he
occupied until March 17, 1989. Complainant’s assignment to a private
office on the fifth floor was on the initiative of his supervisor.
Complainant did not request in any manner that he be isolated.
From March 20, 1989 until October 1989, Complainant was assigned to
an open, common area on the sixth floor, which he shared with two
agency-supplied temporary employees [Stacey Schaar and Gwen Lesh].
The Legal Assistant Coordinator, John Neary, advised Complainant on
about March 19, 1989 that the sixth floor office assignment was
temporary and that Complainant would be permanently assigned to the
terrace level with other legal assistants when that space became available
to the Respondent in about May 1989. Complainant was never assigned
to the terrace level as had been promised, which perpetuated his isolation.
During the period late October 1989 until April 5, 1991, Complainant
was assigned to a large, group office on the ninth floor shared with other
legal assistants. In March 1990 Complainant was reassigned from the
Legal Assistant program to the Litigation Support group, but kept his
office assignment on the ninth floor. In about March 1990, when the
Litigation Support group moved from the twelfth floor to the terrace
level, Complainant requested of his supervisor, Chris Robertson, that she
allow Complainant to remain on the ninth floor. Ms. Robertson
permitted Complainant to remain on the ninth floor, explaining to
Complainant that there was no room for him on the terrace level. On no
7
occasion while working on the ninth floor did Complainant request of
any supervisor or any attorney manager that he be relocated to a private
office.
8
another legal assistant on the project, Katherine Harkness, that even the
Respondent's library was too noisy.
During the summer of 1991 Chris Robertson directed that employees eat
their breakfast at home and not at the office. Complainant complied, but
other employees continued to eat their breakfast upon arriving at the
office. Ms. Robertson had neither the inclination nor determination to
ensure a business-like environment in the terrace level office.
9
Typical of the unprofessional behavior of Litigation Support employees is
the following incident. During the summer of 1991 Gregory Courtney,
without the knowledge or consent of another employee, Sherrie Patrick
(who occupied a work cubicle next to that of Complainant), plastered an
approximate 2' x 3' wall of Ms. Patrick’s work cubicle with photographs of
scantily-clad male models that he had apparently spent some time culling
from magazines. Later, Litigation Support employees Gregory Courtney,
Sherrie Patrick and Renee Lloyd engaged in a voluble and disruptive
banter about the photographs.
10
occasion would prompt a wider inquiry.
11
Complainant’s meeting with Earl. L. Segal was the first time that he had
complained to an attorney manager about harassment, sought from an
attorney manager a change in office assignment, or sought from an
attorney manager a reassignment to the legal program or promotion of
any kind.
Because Complainant had not been forewarned that he was to meet with
anyone to discuss incidents of harassment, he was not prepared to discuss
in detail an insidious pattern of harassment of three and one-half years
duration (See Attachment E). Further, because of the insidious nature of
the harassment, the mere narration of selected incidents could not
possibly convey the cumulative effect of complex interrelated behaviors,
which, viewed as a whole, created a hostile and intimidating work
environment. See Robinson v. Jacksonville Shipyards, Inc., 760 F. Supp. 1486
(M.D. Fla. 1991). (See Attachment H).
12
Malcolm Lassman's and Dennis Race's expectation that Complainant
make a convincing case on this occasion that he was a victim of
harassment was unreasonable and, under Robinson, not legally cognizable.
The expectations of Malcolm Lassman and Dennis Race were based on a
flawed assumption: that an examination of selected incidents could
establish whether Complainant was a victim of harassment. With respect
to harassment based on a hostile work environment only an examination
of the totality of the circumstances will establish whether harassment
exists.
13
proceeded to engage in a lively and mildly-sexually suggestive discussion
about the size of the male employee's chest and whether it was hairy or
not. The discussion lasted about two minutes.
(b.) While walking down a hallway on the second floor, some time in
about May 1988, an associate, Paul Wageman, who was walking toward
Complainant, began to hold a pencil next to his genital area and
proceeded to move the pencil up and down next to his genital area.
(c.) In mid-June 1988, at about the time Complainant was hired by the
Respondent, Complainant was assigned a private office on the fifth floor.
On the first morning in that office space as Complainant was getting a
14
cup of coffee in an adjacent kitchen area, an attorney, whom
Complainant later learned was a partner named David Hardee, said to
Complainant, "I smell something sweet in here. Do you smell something
sweet in here?" Complainant said, "No." Mr. Hardee repeated, "I smell
something sweet in here."
(d.) Shortly after Complainant was moved to the sixth floor office space
shared with agency-supplied temporary legal assistants Stacey Schaar and
Gwen Lesh, on March 20, 1989, there began repeated references to
Complainant’s friendship with Craig Dye, with whom Complainant had
worked at the law firm of Hogan & Hartson.
15
relation of employee to supervisor; up until that time Complainant had
worked predominantly for Constance Brown on tasks for the client
Eastern Airlines. This was also the first time Complainant was assigned to
work on the terrace level. At the conclusion of Complainant's
conversation with Chris Robertson, she led Complainant from her office
to a workstation where Complainant was directed to perform the assigned
task. Upon spotting the work station Ms. Robertson stated to
Complainant, "You can sit here." This was at approximately 9:30 a.m.
After sitting down at the desk Complainant looked into the trash basket
next to the desk. The trash basket was empty except for a baby food jar.
The baby food jar had been wiped clean before being placed in the trash
basket, consistent with the jar having been brought from home by
someone for the express purpose of placing it in the trash basket with the
intent to harass.
(f.) Some time in April 1991, when it was warm enough to eat lunch
outdoors, Complainant began to eat lunch on a park bench at Dupont
Circle. One afternoon upon Complainant's return to the office from
lunch, at about the time he first began to eat lunch at Dupont Circle, as
Complainant was seated at his desk, his supervisor, Chris Robertson, said,
in a loud tone of voice to another employee, Melissa Whitney, seated near
Complainant, "Are you wet?"
16
(g.) Upon Complainant's return to the office from lunch one afternoon
during the summer of 1991, his supervisor, Chris Robertson, offered
Complainant a piece of chocolate, and stated to Complainant the
peculiar phrase, "Here, you look like you need some chocolate."
17
Semitic animus. Mr. Lassman requested that Complainant provide
additional anecdotes that might suggest an anti-Semitic bias by employees.
In response to Mr. Lassman's question, and not on Complainant's
initiative, Complainant mentioned that the mascot of the Litigation
Support group was a pig. (At this point Mr. Lassman turned to Mr. Race
and said, "Dennis, you're not Jewish. Jews aren't allowed to eat pork.")
Complainant also told Messrs. Lassman and Race that the previous
afternoon, Wednesday October 23, 1991, after Complainant had
returned to his desk on the terrace level following Complainant’s meeting
with Earl L. Segal, Gregory Courtney passed by Complainant's desk and
was telling a story about a man with a "black skull cap." In response to a
question posed by either Mr. Race and Mr. Lassman, Complainant stated
that he did not know the identity of the employee with whom Gregory
Courtney was talking.
(j.) Some time in about early 1990, while Complainant was riding alone
in an elevator with a partner, David Eisenstat, Mr. Eisenstat began to pace
back and forth and whistle, all the while glancing at Complainant.
18
Eisenstat's behavior as relating to Complainant. Mr. Race, offering a
possible explanation for Mr. Eisenstat's behavior, stated that Mr. Eisenstat
is an "intense guy." Complainant added that he believed that Mr.
Eisenstat may be Jewish, and stated that the anecdote concerning Mr.
Eisenstat raised a question as to whether the harassment was based on an
anti-Semitic animus.
During the entire period of the meeting, which lasted about 35-40
minutes, both Mr. Race and Mr. Lassman seemed to have a keen interest
in each of the anecdotes that Complainant related. The interest of the
attorney managers did not appear to wane as the meeting progressed.
Both Mr. Lassman and Mr. Race asked questions or made comments
about each of the anecdotes.
At one point in the meeting Mr. Race, in an attempt to clarify the issues
raised by Complainant’s narration, broke the Complainant's allegations
of harassment into categories.
19
At no time during the meeting did either Mr. Lassman or Mr. Race
indicate in any manner that they believed that Complainant was
exaggerating, fabricating, had some ulterior motive, or was motivated by
any animus against anyone. Neither Mr. Race nor Mr. Lassman indicated
in any manner that they believed that the Complainant's perceptions were
the product of a mental disturbance. Both attorney managers appeared to
be sympathetic and receptive to Complainant's narration, although Mr.
Race stated some skepticism about the meanings that Complainant
ascribed to some of the anecdotes.
20
"[A discrimination] analysis cannot carve the work environment into a
series of discrete incidents and measure the harm adhering in each
episode. Rather a holistic perspective is necessary, keeping in mind that
each successive episode has its predecessors, that the impact of the
separate incidents may accumulate, and that the work environment
created thereby may exceed the sum of the individual episodes. 'A play
cannot be understood on the basis of some of its scenes but only on its
entire performance, and similarly, a discrimination analysis must
concentrate not on individual incidents but on the overall
scenario.' Andrews, 895 F.2d at 1484. It follows naturally from this
proposition that the environment viewed as a whole may satisfy the legal
definition of an abusive working environment although no single episode
crosses the Title VII threshold." Robinson, 760 F. Supp. at 1524.
21
Complainant's allegations of harassment appropriate to a hostile work
enjoinment standard renders Respondent's investigation fatally flawed.
Further, Respondent's flawed investigation constitutes a ratification by
Respondent's attorney managers of the hostile work environment created
by its employees.
But, in fact, neither Mr. Lassman nor Mr. Race made such a
recommendation and a review of Complainant's narration of the meeting
suggests that such a recommendation would not have been consistent
22
with the comments made at the meeting by Respondent's attorney
managers.
23
months immediately prior to Complainant's termination, from mid-
August until October 29, 1991, Complainant worked in an office on the
fourth floor not far from Dennis Race's office, and had virtually no
interaction with Litigation Support coworkers on the terrace level. On
October 29, 1991, Mr. Race commented that he used to see Complainant
hard at work whenever he passed by the office where Complainant was
working. Thus, the opening sentence of Chris Robertson's memo was
disconfirmed by Dennis Race's personal observations. Chris Robertson's
memorandum dated October 25, 1991, the day after Complainant met
with Dennis Race and Malcolm Lassman, was clearly retaliatory. Dennis
Race's failure to provide Complainant an opportunity to respond to the
memorandum by his supervisor was improper.
24
Medical Center. Even after a one-hour in person evaluation the
psychiatrist was unable to state a diagnosis of Complainant (See
Attachment J)). Dennis Race's consultations with mental health
professionals, really an "evaluation of Complainant by proxy," could not
have provided a professional opinion of sufficient reliability upon which
to base an employment decision.
25
Ms. Robertson gave a non-committal reply.)
26
Respondent's failure to name the mental health professionals from whom
it sought representations regarding Complainant’s mental status is a
material omission.
27
subject the offending mental health counselor to criminal prosecution for
the commission of a misdemeanor. Further, Respondent's actions in
seeking a representation from a mental health counselor at Sheppard
Pratt raise the possibility of a violation by the Respondent's attorney
managers of D.C. Code Sect. 6-2062 (Criminal penalties for violation of
the District of Columbia Mental Health Information Act) as well as
certain criminal statutes including D.C. Code Sect. 22-105a (Conspiracy
to commit crime) and D.C. Code Sect. 22-105 (Persons advising, inciting
or conniving at criminal offense to be charged as principals).
28
Race made at the termination meeting regarding Complainant’s request
for reassignment. Respondent, however, admits that Complainant made a
request for reassignment to the Legal Assistant program (See Attachment
D [Memo of Earl. L. Segal to Personal File dated October 23, 1991])).
Dennis Race failed to investigate the possibility that the comments of Ms.
Sinnott and Mr. Neary may have been made in retaliation for
Complainant's allegations of harassment or may have been an unlawful
discriminatory practice aimed at depriving Complainant of employment
opportunities.
The actions of Ms. Sinnott during the summer of 1990 are at variance
with her assertion at the time of Mr. Race's investigation that she could
not work with Complainant, or that she was afraid of him. Sometime
during the summer of 1990, after Complainant had been reassigned to
the Litigation Support group, Maggie Sinnott went out of her way to
advise Complainant that transcript digesting work was available--work
typically performed by other legal assistants and not Litigation Support
employees. At that time Maggie Sinnott was no longer Complainant’s
supervisor. Maggie Sinnott's comments about Complainant to Dennis
Race at the time of the job termination, which contributed to Mr. Race's
conclusion that "there did not appear to be a good fit" with other
employees, was apparently not made in good faith.
29
Mr. Race's failure to investigate the possibility of employing Complainant
in the position of law clerk or associate was an unlawful discriminatory
practice (See Attachment F).
30
position with the Respondent.
Sometime in 1990, Brian Burns, a legal assistant who had been employed
by the Respondent since about 1985, was granted a position as associate.
Complainant believes that Brian Burns is not a homosexual. During his
employment with the respondent as a legal assistant, Brian Burns was
consistently granted substantive assignments that eased his transition
from legal assistant to practicing attorney. In effect, Brian Burns' position
with the Respondent was an "associate-track" legal assistant position.
Complainant's education and professional experience also qualified him
for an associate-track legal assistant position with the Respondent; a like
position was never offered to Complainant. The harassment that
Complainant suffered during his employment, which carried the implied
threat of termination, precluded Complainant from requesting an
associate-track legal assistant position.
Dennis Race's statement that "there did not appear to be a good fit"
between Complainant and other employees conceals Respondent's
discriminatory failure, or refusal, to investigate the possibility of
employing Complainant in other positions for which he qualified.
31
in a group setting or work with other legal assistants (R. 4) omits material facts
and obfuscates the fact that Complainant was a victim of harassment.
During the fall of 1989, Complainant was assigned to train and supervise
a group of about five agency-supplied temporary employees to expedite
the coding of some 200,000 pages of documents for the client Eastern
Airlines (See Attachment C).
32
Michael Wilson, Esq., and Cindy Rodda.
Further, Dennis Race's assertion that Complainant could not work with
other legal assistants was based in part on the bad faith statements of the
Legal Assistant Administrator, Maggie Sinnott--statements whose veracity
Dennis Race failed to question. During the early part of Complainant's
employment, Ms. Sinnott routinely kept Complainant isolated from other
temporary employees who worked on the same project as Complainant.
Maggie Sinnott's assertion at the time of Mr. Race's investigation that she
could not work with Complainant because she found him difficult to
work with is inconsistent with Ms. Sinnott's earlier actions during the
summer of 1990 when she actually sought out Complainant despite the
fact that at that time she was no longer Complainant's supervisor and,
further, had about 60 other legal assistants under her supervision who
could have performed the same task.
33
12. Respondent’s assertion that Complainant was very difficult to supervise (See
Attachment L) is denied.
"There is no task too much to ask of Gary." "It is nice to gave Gary
around. He is always stable in the mist [sic] of other inconsistencies."
"Gary is dependable []." "He is always enthusiastic []." "I appreciate the job
that Gary has done and look forward to other projects with Gary's help."
"Totally independent self-sustaining and committed to his work.
Extremely solid and aiming to please. I trust Gary's ability to meet
whatever the demand with little guidance. Gary is receptive no matter
what the task and takes every assignment seriously." "Great pressure
buffer. I can be at ease knowing Gary will prevail." "Gary is a self-starter in
all respects." "Gary is the soul of dependability and responsibility." "He is a
self-starter and thoroughly dependable" (See Attachment C).
34
On three occasions during his employment Complainant worked through
the night to ensure the completion of tasks to which he was assigned. He
willingly worked through the night, without complaint or protest, on May
8-May 9, 1988, August 14-August 15, 1988, and during a week in early
June 1989 (See Attachment E).
14. Respondent's assertion that Complainant's job performance was not an issue
in Respondent's decision to terminate Complainant (R. 5) is contrary to assertions
made by the Respondent at the time of the termination and is evidence of
Respondent's lack of good faith.
35
At the termination meeting on October 29, 1991. Dennis Race expressly
criticized the quality of Complainant's work. Mr. Race stated that
although Complainant's work for the client Eastern Airlines had been
good, the quality of his work had deteriorated. Mr. Race also reported
statements made by co-workers that Complainant failed to make
corrections in his work when he was directed to do so.
36
issued to Complainant during his employment (See Attachment N).
Complainant's meeting with his supervisor during the week of about
August 12, 1991 was the only interaction with a supervisor during the
entire period of Complainant's employment that even remotely resembled
a reprimand.
37
16. Respondent’s assertion that Complainant did not raise the issue of sexual
orientation at any time prior to the filling of the Complaint (R. 5-6) is denied.
38
Moreover, as already discussed, Respondent’s failure to exercise due
diligence in its investigation of Complainant’s allegations of harassment
and its decision to terminate on the basis of a faulty investigation
constitute a ratification by the Respondent of the hostile work
environment created by its employees. An essential ingredient of the
hostile work environment, which Respondent ratified by its actions (or
inaction), was the rumor spread by Respondent’s employees that the
Complainant was homosexual (See Attachment E). [In fact, in later
litigation of this case the D.C. Corporation Counsel admitted that there
was a rumor at the firm that I was homosexual. Why did Dennis Race's
investigation in 1991 not uncover a fact later affirmed by the Corporation
Counsel's Office?]
39
been done. If the employee disagrees with your evaluation or has
additional information believed to be pertinent you should include those
comments in the section captioned “EMPLOYEE COMMENTS.”
Not only was the Performance Evaluation dated October 24, 1991 not
discussed with Complainant prior to his termination, but the supervisor
did not state a written justification for her failure to discuss the
evaluation. In the case of each of the eight Performance Evaluations
prepared prior to the one in question Complainant was given a copy of
the Evaluation at about the time it was prepared.
Chris Robertson’s failure to indicate on the form her reasons for not
discussing the evaluation with Complainant is contrary to Respondent’s
written policy and is therefore a per se unlawful discriminatory practice.
40
Respondent, by virtue of its Response, has subsequently disavowed those
accusations.
41
violent and paranoid (R. 6) or that the allegations made by co-workers were
credible.
42
filed in Docket No. 92-087-P(N) affirm that the statements herein are true
and correct to the best of my knowledge.
43