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2021
1 year ago
2021-07-20, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
In the 2019 death of Brian Statler at the Scientology "Ideal Org" in Inglewood, California, much was made of the "samurai sword" that witnesses said he had with him. But we pointed out at the time that breaking news coverage seemed to make little sense: Stories said that Statler was wielding a sword, but that somehow he shot and injured the two Inglewood police officers who ended up shooting Statler fatally. That didn't make much sense, but the city of Inglewood was giving out no more details.
Now, in a motion for summary judgment intended to dismiss the wrongful death lawsuit brought against the city of Inglewood by Statler's family, those two police officers admit that by the time they arrived on the scene, Statler had already returned to his parked car to put the sword away.
That's right, Brian Statler had no sword.
Tags: 1961, 1970, 1983, 1995, 2019, 9-1-1, African-American, Bill Robertson, Brian Statler, Bridge to Total Freedom, Bruce Hines, California, Canada, Case Supervisor, Casey Hill, Decery Capponi, Egypt, Ethics, Ideal Org, Inglewood, Jon Atack, Journalist, Leah Remini, Los Angeles, Mexico, Ontario, OT, Police, Reuters, Toronto
2021-07-20, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Former Scientology spokesman Tommy Davis is a favorite subject with a lot of our readers, and we are often asked for updates on him.
For several years we've been telling you that after his stint as David Miscavige's major-domo, he then went on to perform similar duties for wealthy Santa Monica real estate investor Tom Barrack. And no wonder: Barrack was a close friend to Tommy's father William Davis, who died in 2015.
After a brief interlude working for Australian businessman James Packer in 2016, Tommy went back to work for Barrack while he got married (and didn't invite us).
2020
2 years ago
2020-07-20, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
The first episode of the new Scientology: Fair Game podcast will be available at midnight tonight. (When iHeart says July 21st, they mean one minute past midnight, something I learned yesterday!)
It can be listened to on ANY podcast App. Of course, if you don't already listen to podcasts, we would like you to download the iHeart App as they are the ones who are producing the podcast. But it can be listened to on iTunes, Spotify, Google, etc. etc. Anywhere you currently listen to podcasts will have Scientology: Fair Game, though the producers at iHeart told me it might take an hour or more to show up on other platforms after it is available on iHeart.
If you have not listened to podcasts before, it is very easy to do. You just need an App downloaded and you will be able to search for the podcast and tune in.
2020-07-20, Jeffrey Augustine, Scientology Money Project
Tony Ortega posted this video on his blog yesterday. Rod Keller found this piece online.
From his Thetanic redoubt in Italy, American Scientologist Tom Cummins delivers 25 minutes of deluxe foul-mouthed Scientology crazy as he hustles cash so that David Miscavige can buy more real estate a/k/a Ideal Orgs. This is an epic rant in which Tom slams Scientologists with this Reality Factor:
'You're going to pay this money fucking eventually'
2020-07-20, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Yesterday, The Daily Beast published a story written by us that looked at Kelly Preston's involvement in Scientology. We had talked to numerous former Scientologists with firsthand knowledge about what a "hardcore" and "strict" member of the church Preston was.
An OT 8, Preston would have been "cause over matter, energy, space, and time," an "operating thetan" with godlike powers.
Sadly, she died of breast cancer on July 12 at the age of 57, and the world learned about it from an Instagram post written by her husband, actor John Travolta.
Tags: 1961, 2000, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, Battlefield Earth, Bruce Hines, Cancer, Clearwater, Daily Beast, David Miscavige, Downtown Development Board, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief, Hawaii, Ideal Org, John Travolta, Karen Pressley, Kelly Preston, Lisa Marie Presley, London, Mark Bunker, Mike Rinder, OT, OT 8, Quicky, Ron Miscavige, Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me, Sea Org, Shahab Emrani, Spanky Taylor, Tom DeVocht
2019
3 years ago2019-07-20, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
A continuation of the post from Wednesday "Sailing into the Sunset."
They kindly include a sort of "Summary" for each continental area and their progress towards "ideal" status. It is quite revealing.
They also have a key that details the different "milestones" along the way to actually getting a new building.
Tags: Advanced Org, Africa, Alabama, ANZO, Austin, Boston, Brazil, Brighton, Bulawayo, Calgary, Canada, Capetown, Chairman of the Board, Chile, China, Clear, Czech Republic, Easter, Edmonton, Europe, Facebook, France, Harare, Idaho, Indonesia, International Association of Scientologists, Iowa, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Kansas City, L. Ron Hubbard, Long Island, Maine, Malaysia, Maryland, Mexico, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Zealand, North Carolina, Oklahoma, OT Ambassador, Pakistan, Peru, Philadelphia, Philippines, Poland, Quicky, Russia, South Carolina, South Dakota, Syria, Toronto, Twitter, Ukraine, Vancouver, Vietnam, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
2019-07-20, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
We hope you remember the stunning tale of Sylvia DeWall's exit from Scientology, a story we've told a couple of times. "Declared" — excommunicated — because she dared to watch Leah Remini and Lawrence Wright on television, her expulsion was caught on an audio recording, which we think is one of the most remarkable things ever to come out of the church.
Sylvia and her husband Tim relocated to Colorado and started over. And she later told us about her frustration dealing with a brother who has turned his back on her.
Expelled. Disconnected. But thriving after leaving Scientology, Sylvia and Tim are survivors, and we're big fans of them.
And now, we have a really odd update for you.
2018
4 years ago2018-07-20, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
Tags: Quicky, Regraded Being
2018-07-20, Mr Magneto, YouTube
While Obama was President I couldn't find this video clip anywhere, every link would always show "content removed". A year after Obama is no longer President and I found it first time.
2017
5 years ago2017-07-20, Chris Shelton, Critical Thinker at Large
Kay Rowe was a member of the Sea Organization and spent over a decade working in the International Association of Scientologists as a fundraiser and event organizer. In this video we talk about her experiences with the IAS and the awful circumstances of how she left the Sea Org due to unhandled medical situations which the Sea Org could not be bothered to care for or treat.
2017-07-20, Chris Shelton, YouTube
Kay Rowe was a member of the Sea Organization and spent over a decade working in the International Association of Scientologists as a fundraiser and event organizer. In this video we talk about her experiences with the IAS and the awful circumstances of how she left the Sea Org due to unhandled medical situations which the Sea Org could not be bothered to care for or treat.
2017-07-20, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
Seven Years...
...and still not SH Size. Let alone producing more Clears in their zone than triplets born on the third Friday of each month. Not really a celebration at all. Just another ploy to reg and recruit.
Graduation...
2017-07-20, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
We heard from a tipster several months ago that things were changing in a big way for former Scientology spokesman Tommy Davis, but we had a hard time confirming it. At one point we even put out a public request for help, but to no avail. Now, however, it turns out that our anonymous helper was correct, and we can comment on a couple of changes in Tommy's life.
But first of all, why do we care what Tommy's up to? Well, more than a decade after Davis emerged as Scientology's very visible international spokesman, people still seem to have a huge fascination for the guy. The son of actress Anne Archer, Tommy was brought up in Scientology and was something of a go-fer and handler for actor Tom Cruise as he rose through the ranks. By the mid-2000s, Davis was the public face of Scientology and was tasked with tangling with the press, sparring with the likes of ABC's Martin Bashir and the BBC's John Sweeney as Scientology leader David Miscavige pursued a more aggressive approach to the media.
Today, the church itself has no one to put in front of cameras, and it asks attorneys to make statements and appear on television programs. So maybe it's no wonder that many members of the public miss Tommy and his antics. By 2011, however, we noticed that he'd seemed to have disappeared. He turned up in Austin, where his wife Jessica Feshbach's family had some property, and in 2013 Davis testified in a deposition that he was "on leave" from his job in the Sea Organization but was still a member of the Church of Scientology.
Tags: 1990, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, ABC, Anne Archer, Austin, Australia, BBC, Brett Ratner, China, Chris Shelton, Colony Capital, David Miscavige, Denver, Fair Game, Feshbach, Hollywood, International Association of Scientologists, James Packer, Jessica Feshbach, Jessica Rodriguez, John Sweeney, Katie Holmes, Kay Rowe, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Mariah Carey, Martin Bashir, Matt Feshbach, Sea Org, Steve Cannane, Steven Mnuchin, Super Power, Super Power Building, Tom Barrack, Tom Cruise, Tommy Davis, William Davis
2016
6 years ago2016-07-20, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
We just got word from Phil and Willie Jones. Their second "Call Me" billboard just went up in Clearwater, Florida, bringing attention to Scientology's "disconnection" policy right where the church has its international spiritual "mecca."
They had previously posted a similar billboard in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, and it garnered a huge amount of press interest. The billboard is at the southwest corner of East Bay and 20th St. SE, and faces west.
[What the location looks like on Google Earth]
2016-07-20, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
This is the second posting in the coverage of this year's Maiden Voyage. Yesterday's post is here.
Things got off to a bang at "Opening Night" - traditionally consisting of the "Rolling Thunder" presentation, some hype about the number of inches of sea traversed by the Moneywinds and joking and degrading at the expense of the "OT Ambassadors."
Dear Leader set the stage with a huge, bald-faced lie — "in full"(?) "just since last year, the number of scientologists advancing up the bridge has multiplied ten times over." This is just pulled out of his ass. Much like the 46X before and the 5X more in the last decade than in the 50 years previously. Of course there was NOTHING whatsoever anywhere that demonstrates any such thing. No orgs overflowing with people. Not even ONE. The FSO empty. All AO's empty. And a "new OT VIII emerges every day" - which even if it were TRUE means that up til last year they were making an OT VIII once every 10 days, and their current rate is so pathetically tiny as to be completely insignificant in the overall scheme of things and certainly nothing close to "we are fast approaching power on this planet, and our influence is already vast."
2016-07-20, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
(Judge James D. Whittemore)
A couple of new documents showed up recently in the court file of Luis and Rocio Garcia's federal fraud lawsuit against the Church of Scientology, and we thought you might want to hear about them.
As you may recall, the Garcias were told by the court to submit their complaints about being defrauded to Scientology's internal arbitration system, as was spelled out in contracts they had signed as church members. The Garcias had argued that Scientology's 'arbitration' was a sham that didn't really exist and had never actually been used in church history. But the court decided that a contract was a contract, and the Garcias had to take their beef to the church's internal justice system. The Garcias came back to the court earlier this year, however, complaining that Scientology had made it impossible to choose arbitrators. Scientology countered that it was the Garcias who were making it impossible to proceed.
2015
7 years ago
2015-07-20, Washington University in St. Louis
An adjunct professor of religious studies at Washington University in St. Louis since 1990, Flinn was a frequent commentator on religious issues in the news and often called upon to testify in court cases involving the legal rights of controversial religious groups, including the Church of Scientology and the Texas-based Branch Davidians of David Koresh.
A longtime scholar of church-state issues and cults, he staunchly defended the rights of such religious sectarian groups to exist and function as legitimate religious movements. Threatening the constitutional rights of these sectarian groups also threatens the rights of older, mainline religions, he warned.
Tags: Frank K. Flinn, St. Louis
2015-07-20, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
This is old, I just haven't had space to include it and give it the notice it so well deserves.
Clearly, the staff of organizations are aware of the state of their field. It is a dismal scene. No doubt they hear it repeatedly.
It apparently never enters their mind to wonder why:
2015-07-20, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
We were busy traveling yesterday and didn't notice what a portentous date it was.
On July 19 three years ago, Stacy Dawn Murphy, 20, died of a drug overdose while she was a patient at Scientology's flagship drug rehab facility, Narconon Arrowhead in eastern Oklahoma. She was the third patient to die at Narconon Arrowhead in only nine months, and those deaths sparked numerous county and state investigations, as well as a number of lawsuits.
Three years later, Narconon Arrowhead is barely hanging on — not because of the investigations, which seemed to go nowhere, but because the ensuing press attention has kept people from sending their loved ones to the facility.
2014
8 years ago2014-07-20, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
It's the MV Beggar's Banquet showing at Flag.
And apparently everyone is in on the act to try to get the suckers to show and GIVE MONEY (and let us know you did so we can get the credit for it).
Kevin True was a former RTC staff at Int who was busted and then sawed off some fingers on a table saw in the Gold garage when he was in the sleep-deprived zombie state of SO "deckies."
2014-07-20, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
We love the quote in this first item, begging for money to complete building renovations in the west U.S. Note the key line…
"Humanitarians are the driving force behind the completion of Ideal Orgs."
Translation: Our rank-and-file members continue to abandon us, and our only game left is holding desperately onto the wealthy "whales" who are keeping us afloat with their donations.
Tags: Australia, Buffalo, Carly Crutchfield, Chairman of the Board, Cuba, David Brier, David Miscavige, Detroit, Elli Perkins, Freewinds, Humanitarian, Ideal Org, International Association of Scientologists, L. Ron Hubbard Way, Los Angeles, Maiden Voyage, Miami, Mike Ricketts, Monique Rathbun, Nashville, New York, New Zealand, Sunday Funnies, Texas Third Court of Appeals
2013
9 years ago2013-07-20, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Two years ago, Michelle Visage was a longtime talk radio host in Los Angeles when she was presented with a tantalizing opportunity. RuPaul wanted her to be a judge on the third season of his VH1 show, RuPaul's Drag Race.
Visage says she knew it would be great for her career. But she worried that her bosses at CBS Radio, who were conservative and uptight, might have a problem with her asking for permission to do that kind of show. She agonized over the idea of even bringing it up.
"I don't want to hear it. Do it, or I'm going to call the president of CBS Radio myself," Michelle's friend Leah Remini told her.
2013-07-20, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
The Dark Side of the Radical Church of Scientology is revealing itself piece by piece.
Today, sort-of-celebrity Stacy Francis took a cheap shot at Nicole Remini after she spoke up in support of her sister.
And with that the sliming of Nicole has begun. In a non-sequitur, offensive tweet, Francis put on display the level of hatred the church of Miscavige expects from those seeking to prove themselves "on the team." One is supposed to "take off the gloves" when someone has been labeled "fair game" (meaning "connected to someone who is no longer toeing the party line).
2013-07-20, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Oh, Perez. You look fabulous after all that weight loss. But you just have no reading comprehension, apparently.
We say that because we've just watched Perez mangle the Leah Remini story out of all recognition, and the thing is, he's obviously getting nearly every one of his "facts" from stories we published earlier this week.
Perez, for some reason, is trying to turn the story of Leah Remini leaving Scientology into some kind of dishy tale of gay panic.
2013-07-20, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
Here is the update from Graduation last nite.
Absolutely without question the most spectacular event in the history of Scientology..... (until the next time Dear Leader takes the stage).
He saved the showing of the 1993 IAS event so He could introduce it and He could make a pitch for the IAS. He is, after all, Founder of the IAS, a title that cannot be disputed as L. Ron Hubbard had nothing to do with the IAS. Stealing a phrase from Mel Brooks History of the World Part I "It's good to be the Founder"....
Tags: 1993, Advanced Org, Africa, Auditor's Day, Canada, Charmaine Roger, Clear, Clearwater, Cornerstone, Crystal Ballroom, David Miscavige, Flag Service Organization, Ideal Org, Int Base, International Association of Scientologists, Italy, Keep Scientology Working, Las Vegas, Malmo, Mexico, Michael Fairman, Michelle Stafford, Milano, OT, OT VII, Padova, Purification Rundown, Quicky, Rehabilitation Project Force, Silver Meritorious, Student Hat, Super Power, Tent, UK
2012
10 years ago2012-07-20, liekmudkip, YouTube
For more information on the Dublin Offlines event see
http://exscientologistsireland.org
Tags: Dublin, Gerry Armstrong
2012-07-20, Marty Rathbun, Moving On Up a Little Higher
ANAT KRIER WANTS TO START INDIE YOUTH GROUP
My 19 year old son has been wanting to go back to CW (Clearwater, Florida) since we moved to Oregon a year and half ago, because it's the place he knows. That is where his friends that he grew up with and that he shares so much ARC for and with are! As we, parents to teens and young adults, know; the majority of them care mostly about their social life.
I had a huge loss leaving behind what I considered to be my whole universe and my group when I left CW. Imagine how it was for a kid for whom that is all he knew his whole life.
Tags: Brad Hagemo, Clearwater, Cult, Florida, Freezone, L. Ron Hubbard, Mike Rinder, Oregon, Quicky, Steve Hall
2012-07-20, Tony Ortega, Runnin' Scared, Village Voice
Better days: Heber Jentzsch and John Travolta David Jentzsch, 80, tells me that the last time he spoke to his brother Heber, 76, was about three years ago. And at that time he urged his younger brother to break out of Scientology's International Base near Hemet, California.
"He said, 'I don't think I can ever get out of here.' But I told him, 'You have to try.' And the last thing he said to me was, 'I'll never get out of here alive'."
Since then, David says, the workers at the base have refused to take his call.
Tags: 1982, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 9-1-1, Alexander Jentzsch, California, Celebrity Centre, Church of Scientology International, Dallas, David Jentzsch, David Miscavige, Debbie Cook, Heber Jentzsch, Hemet, Hollywood, Int Base, IRS, Isaac Hayes, Jesus Christ, John Brousseau, John Travolta, Karen de la Carriere, Los Angeles, Marty Rathbun, Mike Rinder, Quicky, Salt Lake City, Sea Org, Spain, Suppressive Person, The Hole, Tiziano Lugli, Tom Cruise, Utah
2012-07-20, Tony Ortega, Runnin' Scared, Village Voice
I just got off the phone with Colin Henderson, who is frenetically monitoring breaking news in Oklahoma, where yet another patient at Scientology's flagship Narconon drug treatment center has been found dead.
Jeanne LeFlore of the McAlester News-Capital broke the news earlier today that Stacy Dawn Murphy, 20, had died at the facility, which is in the town of Canadian.
By the time that news hit, Henderson was already sending out messages to Oklahoma state officials, putting even more heat on them now that at least three deaths have occurred at the Narconon center since this past October.
2011
11 years ago
2011-07-20, Daniel Miller, Hollywood Reporter
Nancy Cartwright, Danny Masterson and Erika Christensen praise the Church of Scientology for its stewardship of historic Hollywood real estate.
2011-07-20, TeamXemu, YouTube
Brilliant and powerful clip of L. Ron Hubbard's great Grandson, Jamie DeWolf, filmed in 2011.
This clip is from the upcoming film "Drama Momma".
2011-07-20, Daniel Miller, Hollywood Reporter
There's a tale about William Randolph Hearst, a murder on a yacht and hush money that led to the construction of the Chateau Elysee.
That the yarn might not be true illustrates the outsize reputation of the landmark property. Legend has it that Eleanor Ince, widow of film producer Thomas Ince, built the hotel and apartment building with money provided to her by Hearst after he killed her husband in 1924. Hearst is said to have mistakenly shot Thomas Ince while entertaining a slew of stars on his yacht, the Oneida.
Hearst allegedly was aiming for Charlie Chaplin, who was said to have had a dalliance with Hearst's mistress, Marion Davies. The widow's silence reportedly was bought with funds that went toward construction of the building, which hosted the likes of Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. The Los Angeles Times initially reported the tale of murder; however, official accounts indicate Thomas Ince died of a heart attack.
2011-07-20, Marty Rathbun, Moving On Up a Little Higher
by Mike Rinder
This video excerpt is but the latest example of the degradation of Scientology at the hands of Pope on a Box. It is one section of the Opening Night of Maiden Voyage 2011, an event devoted almost exclusively to the surreal, off-policy "fundraising" circuses staged by the OT Asses in orgs around the world, even those that already have an "Ideal Org".
Watch it and weep for what was once an organization that had some dignity, compassion and offered genuine help to man.
Tags: Africa, ANZO, Barcelona, Canada, Copenhagen, Dan Sherman, Feshbach, Flag Ship Service Organization, Freewinds, Ideal Org, International Association of Scientologists, International Management, Lisbon, Lyon, Maiden Voyage, Mike Rinder, Oslo, OT, OT IX, Planetary Clearing, Pope, Quicky, Saturday Night Live, Shermanspeak, Stockholm, Tel Aviv, UK, Vulture Culture
2011-07-20, quentinkrisp, YouTube
Is David Miscavige "doing a Ratner"?
(Doing a "Ratner" means making a joke to a "private" audience, at the company's expense, which becomes public and nearly destroys said company)**
You be the judge.
2011-07-20, Tony Ortega, Runnin' Scared, Village Voice
It was one thing for those of us outside Scientology to laugh at their efforts. But how about a 15 minute video of Scientology's leader and his audience having a laugh at the fundraising efforts of their own fellow parishioners? Watch the above video and marvel.
The video appeared on Marty Rathbun's blog today under Mike Rinder's name, where the former high-level Scientology executive posted it as an example of the decline of the church. The narrator of the film, Scientology ultimate leader David Miscavige, appears to be giving the opposite impression -- that fundraising efforts in Europe to construct new "Ideal Orgs" are on fire.
2008
14 years ago
2008-07-20, Jonathan Abel, Tampa Bay Times
Ramsey said he didn't want to talk about the issue because he was trying to put it behind him.
At a recent neighborhood meeting, rumors spread that the Church of Scientology had purchased the property.
Morris flatly denied that.
"I have never had any contact with the Church of Scientology or any of its subsidiary schools or associations," Morris said.
Church of Scientology spokeswoman Pat Harney said she "never heard" about that church and there was nothing to the rumor.
2002
20 years ago
2002-07-20, Pyotr Bely, Pravda
July 18, the Moscow State Court threw out the lawsuit of the Russian Justice Ministry against the Moscow Church of Scientology. The religious activity of Church of Scientology in Moscow was acknowledged to correspond with the Russian Constitution.
Tags: Russia
1995
27 years ago
1995-07-20, Supreme Court of Canada, CanLII
Morris Manning and the Church of Scientology of Toronto - Appellants
v.
S. Casey Hill - Respondent
and
The Attorney General for Ontario, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the Writers' Union of Canada, PEN Canada, the Canadian Association of Journalists, the Periodical Writers Association of Canada, the Book and Periodical Council, the Canadian Daily Newspaper Association, the Canadian Community Newspapers Association, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, the Radio‑Television News Directors Association of Canada, the Canadian Book Publishers' Council and the Canadian Magazine Publishers' Association - Interveners
1989
33 years ago
1989-07-20, Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) _ A jury award to a former member of the Church of Scientology who claimed the organization tried to bankrupt him was slashed from $30 million to $5 million by the California Court of Appeal.
The justices concluded that the 1986 jury assessment of $5 million in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages against the Church of Scientology of California was disproportionate to the injuries suffered by Larry Wollersheim.
The plaintiff said Scientology robbed him of his ability to think independently. He also contended that when he broke with the church, members damaged his novelty store business by quitting their jobs there, boycotting his products and refusing to pay their bills.
FrontCite 07/21/2022 08:37a
See also:
FrontCite Mediawiki
xenu-directory.net: Scientology in the news
Scientology in the UK Media
See also:
FrontCite Mediawiki
xenu-directory.net: Scientology in the news
Scientology in the UK Media