Lawyer to Justice: Find Hatfill a job

'Please ... secure appropriate employment for Dr. Hatfill'

Hatfill, 48, has denied being the "anthrax killer" and has accused the government of destroying his life with "groundless innuendo."

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A lawyer representing Steven Hatfill, the man the Justice Department has called a "person of interest" in the anthrax attacks investigation, is demanding that Attorney General John Ashcroft help Hatfill find a new job.

In a letter sent to Ashcroft on Thursday, attorney Victor M. Glasberg blamed the Justice Department for Hatfill's dismissal from Louisiana State University's biomedical research facility Wednesday.

"Dr. Hatfill has been rendered not only unemployed, but as a practical matter unemployable, by your department's inappropriate actions," Glasberg wrote. "Please use your good offices promptly to secure appropriate employment for Dr. Hatfill."

MORE STORIES LSU defends firing Steven Hatfill     Complete coverage

Glasberg cited an e-mail the department's Office of Domestic Preparedness sent to the university August 1 ordering the biomedical research facility to "immediately cease and desist" from employing Hatfill on any Justice Department-funded programs.

The e-mail was sent to Stephen Guillot, director of the National Center for Biomedical Research and Training. Guillot was Hatfill's supervisor.

Much of the center's funding comes from the Justice Department although the facility is housed at LSU, according to university officials.

The school put Hatfill on paid administrative leave August 2 and then fired him Wednesday. LSU officials said it was "in the best interest of the university."

But the university said the decision was unrelated to the Justice Department's e-mail. In fact, university spokesman Gene Sands said Guillot never told the university's senior management about the e-mail.

On Thursday, LSU fired Guillot. Sands would give no reason for Guillot's firing, calling it a "personnel matter." Guillot was unavailable for comment.

Glasberg, in his letter to Ashcroft, accused the Justice Department of "blackballing" Hatfill.

"Dr. Hatfill is an uncharged, presumptively innocent man who has been severely damaged by actions taken by you and your subordinates," Glasberg wrote, adding that Hatfill is "entitled to an apology."

The Justice Department offered no comment.