Editor,

I am responding to online comments by Trish Rose, following her Sept. 9 letter to the editor, relating to hospital commissioner candidate Rob Born. Ms. Rose apparently suggests that Mr. Born may have had some knowledge of or connection to the embezzlement from clients by Freeland attorney, Peter Moote.

I am a retired lawyer, and worked at the Moote firm from 2002 to December of 2007. During that time I worked with Mr. Born, who was also employed by Mr. Moote. During the years I worked with Mr. Born I was familiar with his work, and we often worked on the same cases. Rob is a hard-working, honest and competent lawyer, who was an effective advocate for his clients. I enjoyed working with him.

During the time that I worked at the Moote firm, I never had any idea that Mr. Moote might be embezzling funds from clients.

In fact, I referred various close friends to Mr. Moote – who later turned out to have had funds stolen from them. I would never have made such referrals, had I felt Mr. Moote was doing anything unethical.

Mr. Moote turned out to be a world class con man, who managed to keep his embezzlements covered up for perhaps two decades — so many people were deceived for many years.

I quit my employment at the Moote firm in late December 2007, because Mr. Moote owed me a significant amount of money, which he refused to pay. I later gained a judgment against him for that debt.

I am very sure Mr. Born did not have any knowledge of Mr. Moote’s misconduct during any of the time that I worked at the firm, and feel that if he had had such concerns he would have told me.

Truman Castle

Freeland