Tony Ortega's Blog, page 342
March 7, 2021
Q patriots showing serious fatigue waiting for the execution of the libs
Some links to Q-related items today…
There seems to be some serious loss of faith going on in the ranks now. Hold the line!
Cheer up, patriots. At least there’s this to look forward to in May.
An event called "For God & Country Patriot Roundup", scheduled to be held over the Memorial Weekend in Dallas, is basically a QAnon get together.
Keynote speakers are Michael Flynn and Sidney Powell.
QAnon influencers IET and RedPill78 are also on the list of featured speakers. pic.twitter.com/HG04WCfv1Q
— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) March 6, 2021
Q influencers appreciate the way Tucker Carlson has been running interference.
Multiple QAnon influencers are praising Fox News host Tucker Carlson for his downplaying the threat & harm that QAnon poses, with one of them claiming that Carlson is "probably standing up the most for our movement than anyone in the MSM right now." pic.twitter.com/GjkZK1lxDB
— Alex Kaplan (@AlKapDC) March 6, 2021
They always brag about it, don’t they?
A South Carolina man bragged in a group text chat that he disguised himself as an anti-fascist activist during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and succeeded in assaulting officers and stealing police gear, according to a criminal complaint. https://t.co/YCEz1eBrGT
— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 6, 2021
Looking for some background on the QAnon movement? We recommend Travis View’s excellent recent article at New York magazine as a place to start.
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THE LOWDOWN is our blog for news, the QAnon phenomenon, and other subjects not related to our coverage of the Church of Scientology. If it’s our Scientology coverage you’re looking for, please use this bookmark for our latest stories.
Posted by Tony Ortega on March 7, 2021 at 8:35
The Top 25 People Enabling Scientology, No. 5: The dirty tricks private eyes
For some time we’ve been planning to name Scientology’s dirty tricks operators as #5 on our list of those employees and underlings and hired thugs who enable Scientology. But then, while we were recently a guest on Leah Remini’s podcast, Mike Rinder said something that threw a wrench into our plans.
He pointed out that since a certain 2015 court case, Scientology’s dirty tricks ringleader, Dave Lubow, has been neutralized.
Mike was referring to the criminal prosecution of private investigator Eric Saldarriaga, which publicly connected Scientology to an attempting hacking case.
Specifically, Saldarriaga was accused of trying to hack Mike Rinder and your proprietor, along with a lot of other people. We were given an opportunity to say something at Saldarriaga’s sentencing, and we did so, asking the judge to get to the bottom of who Saldarriaga was working for. Eventually, we learned that in his chambers the judge revealed that Saldarriaga had been working for Scientology, which the New York Times reported. In particular, it was Scientology dirty tricks PI Dave Lubow who had hired Saldarriaga to hack us.
All of that we knew years ago. But what took us aback while we were recording Leah’s podcast was Mike’s observation that since that episode in 2015, Dave Lubow has been put out to pasture.
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Showing up in the New York Times was enough to sour Lubow with Scientology leader David Miscavige, Rinder figures, and Lubow’s career as Scientology primary dirty tricks operator is over with.
Who’s replaced him? We’re not sure. We recently revealed the identity of another “black bag department” operator that Mike had previously named, a private eye named Russ Andrews.
Mike made a pretty good case for Andrews being the guy who does Scientology’s dirty work, digging up material on David Miscavige’s enemies. Has Andrews taken over the mantle from Dave Lubow and Gene Ingram before him? Or did we blow Russ’s cover so badly that now he too will be less likely to get nasty assignments from Miscavige?
Ingram was a former dirty Los Angeles cop who would do things like impersonate police officers for Scientology to bully and harass people the church wanted scared. He was a thug who was known for flouting the law as long as the Scientology money was flowing.
Here’s what Mike Rinder had to say about him.
Gene Ingram is the godfather of Scientology PI’s in the Miscavige era. He was put out to pasture many years ago after a number of incidents where he was accused of impersonating a police officer and other shady actions. I think there was even an arrest warrant issued for him in Tampa. Ingram set up the Gerry Armstrong operation and investigated the LRH forged check scam that Marty Rathbun has written about. He was the author of many investigation tactics to “get in people’s faces” (a “noisy” investigation).
In 2016 we wrote about Ingram’s showy retirement in Cabo San Lucas, where he runs a bar, and included more stories about his years as Scientology’s hired muscle.
Ingram was replaced by Lubow, who had studied under him. It was Lubow who crashed into a business meeting being held by Robert Almblad, the “clean ice” guy we’ve told you about, in order to scare potential clients away. In that caper, he was pretending to be an investigative journalist exposing Almblad.
Lubow ran the Squirrel Busters caper in Texas, and he spent years harassing Rinder and Marty Rathbun with in-your-face camera episodes. But perhaps his most outrageous exploit is when he spent years infiltrating a circle of friends in Las Vegas so he could get close to Janis Gillham Grady, her sister Terri Gamboa, and others after they left the Sea Org and had started up a mortgage business. Tampa Bay Times legend Tom Tobin told that story in excellent detail, and Janis sent us over this photo to remind us of Lubow’s illustrious past.
That’s Lubow directly behind Janis there on the right.
If Lubow’s now on ice, who is Scientology’s chief dirty trickster? If you know, please drop us a line.
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
The Top 25 People Enabling Scientology
5: The dirty tricks private eyes
6: The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department
7: The litigators
8: The ghost private eyes
9: The San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office
10: Political shills
11: Gary Soter
12: The city of Clearwater, Florida
13: Google and other tech titans
14: The Los Angeles Times
15: Jeffrey Riffer
16: James Packer
18: Mark “Marty” Rathbun
19: Wally Pope
20: Gensler
21: Parents who subscribe to ABCMouse
22: Graham Norton and other celebrity strokers
23: The apologist academics
24: Rebecca Dobkin and other low-level PI grunts
25: DirecTV and filmmakers buffing Dave’s channel
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“You can pick up a rock and handle it quite safely. It won’t disappear on you for the excellent reason that it has so many fundamentals, so many basics, so many premises from which it sprang. There are so many alter-isnesses which have proceeded along the line, that it’s not really likely to as-is in your hands. But if you start plowing around about the original rock or the source of all rocks, or you start questioning the source of all rocks, if you did it expertly enough I’m afraid you would feel the rock tremble, because if you did it completely successfully, it’s liable to be gone.” — L. Ron Hubbard, March 7, 1957
“The ship looks good and Captain Robertson is to be congratulated on it and the officers and crew are thanked for their care and attention. I am glad to be back aboard. The only trouble is that ashore the dogs bark all night and now, without this I probably won’t be able to sleep. However, Janet Guilford says we can organize an All Hands Barking Stations.” — The Commodore, March 7, 1970
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“Our DNA does not end here. It is in instant communication with all our cells at the same time, and with any other point in space and time. We have been messed with a long time ago, so that this program, this DNA, was dysfunctional. But it is becoming activated now. I have personally experienced this and tell you guys — clearly well-educated Scientologists — that this is hot stuff. Get ready for some exciting material, delivered in an unusual way compared to LRH’s but believe me it is awesome. What is coolest about it all is that he tells you that this can affect you as God (and as we know through engrams) also can, and that this is a two-way thing. So far, the energy levels of this planet inhibited this, but they are now high enough (higher tone level, higher theta) so that we can now successfully command our DNA. We can be masters, and this is what beings like Jesus were — Masters of their own DNA. We have only 30 percent of our DNA operational and someone with the state of Christ would be 100 percent. Many people on Earth are already above the 30 percent and this process has now momentum and is awakening in every body whether or not they are spiritually minded. This new revival will not make the world spiritual yet. It will bring a conscience of compassion which will in turn bring PEACE on Earth. This is not the end. This will be the beginning, the basis from which real change can begin to occur towards spirituality as until that happens all wisdom and technology can be weaponised.”
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2001: Peter Alexander posted to a.r.s concerning the construction of the Super Power building in Clearwater. “When I was still a public member of Scientology, I contributed $100,000 to the SuperPower Building, and was privy to inside information about the project. According to Bruce and Chairman Roger, the registrars, and the SuperPower project leader, the purpose of SuperPower and the new SuperPower building was to ‘undercut’ the gradient for all of Scientology. They explained that no matter what level people attained in Scientology, they still had ‘out ethics’ which were preventing them from realizing their gains. This, they said, applied to OT8’s and OT7’s, and well as people lower on the bridge. This was a tactic admission that Scientology’s OT levels were not working, and additional hypnosis/brainwashing was required before anyone could become OT. They invited me to several luncheons with Matt Feshbach. Matt was, at the time, the only public person who had been allowed to complete SuperPower. He described one particular rundown, in which he ran and ran around a ‘maypole’ in a circle. He told me that all the members of the upper management of RTC had also done this, and the other SuperPower rundowns. These SuperPower rundowns amount to about the same level of brainwashing as the Chinese Communists used during the Great Cultural Revolution, where they could ‘re-educate’ even the toughest souls into complete submission.”
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“Hubbard deciding the right tone level for being mauled by a bear is fabulous.”
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Masterson arraigned Jan 20. Next conf to set prelim, March 24.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay’s sentencing delayed to April 13.
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for May 20 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Charged in Brooklyn federal court on Feb 4. Arraigned on Feb 9. Pretrial conference set for Apr 29.
Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments were heard on July 30 at the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Petition for writ of mandate denied Oct 22 by Cal 2nd Appellate District. Petition for review by state supreme court denied Dec 11.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Dec 30, Judge Kleifield granted Scientology’s motions to compel arbitration. March 8: Status conference.
— Matt and Kathy Feschbach tax debt: Eleventh Circuit ruled on Sept 9 that Feshbachs can’t discharge IRS debt in bankruptcy. Dec 17: Feshbachs sign court judgment obliging them to pay entire $3.674 million tax debt, plus interest from Nov 19.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Second amended complaint filed, trial set for Nov 9, 2021.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs. Case appealed on Dec 24.
Concluded litigation:
— Dennis Nobbe, Medicare fraud, PPP loan fraud: Charged July 29. Bond revoked Sep 14. Nobbe dead, Sep 14.
— Jane Doe v. Scientology (in Miami): Jane Doe dismissed the lawsuit on May 15 after the Clearwater Police dropped their criminal investigation of her allegations.
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SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks
The Australian Seven News network cancelled a 10-part investigation of Scientology and its history of dirty tricks. Read the transcripts of the episodes and judge for yourself why Tom Cruise and Tommy Davis might not have wanted viewers to see this hard-hitting series by journalist Bryan Seymour.
After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.
LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH
An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.
SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z
Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Other links: Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?
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THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Valerie Haney asks judge to reconsider ruling, and has some excellent arguments
[TWO years ago] Scientology denied: Eleventh Circuit brushes aside church attempt to stop Garcia appeal
[THREE years ago] Is American culture now so hopeless that Scientology’s insanity is no longer notable?
[FOUR years ago] Paul Haggis spoils movie night for Scientology, shows what a real humanitarian does
[FIVE years ago] There’s a backstory to the recent news of a Scientology TV ad being banned in the UK
[SIX years ago] Jon Atack visits an org — ALSO: The richest Scientologist gets even richer!
[SEVEN years ago] BRAD HALSEY, 1957-2014
[EIGHT years ago] NARCONON CEO GARY SMITH LOSES COUNSELOR CERTIFICATION
[NINE years ago] Scientology: Dear Judge, Protect Us from Rathbun and Rinder!
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Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 2,233 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,737 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,257 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,277 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,168 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,475 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,343 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 3,117 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,921 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,237 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,803 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,722 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,890 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,471 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,732 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,770 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,483 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 2,008 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 363 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,538 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,089 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,238 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,558 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,413 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,532 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,888 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,191 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,297 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,699 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,571 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,154 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,649 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,903 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,012 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on March 7, 2021 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2020 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2020), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele
March 6, 2021
Tucker Carlson finally does locate QAnon, doesn’t see what the fuss is
Some links to Q-related items today…
Are some patriots really giving up until 2024? Say it isn’t so!
Tucker found what he was looking for!
Not even two weeks apart. pic.twitter.com/EPN58YspSL
— Chris Jackson (@ChrisCJackson) March 6, 2021
More Tucker.
Contrary to what Tucker says here, QAnon has been tied to three murders, two child abductions, an alleged plot to shoot up a foster home, and plenty more violence beyond that. https://t.co/kg5roiusPK
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) March 6, 2021
Praise be.
Why QAnon Has Attracted So Many White Evangelicals https://t.co/pcApSq8hi5
— Marc-André Argentino (@_MAArgentino) March 5, 2021
Looking for some background on the QAnon movement? We recommend Travis View’s excellent recent article at New York magazine as a place to start.
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THE LOWDOWN is our blog for news, the QAnon phenomenon, and other subjects not related to our coverage of the Church of Scientology. If it’s our Scientology coverage you’re looking for, please use this bookmark for our latest stories.
Posted by Tony Ortega on March 6, 2021 at 9:35
When Rinder met Hubbard: A Scientology story for the ages
Jon Atack and Mike Rinder are continuing their conversations about Scientology and we are the beneficiaries.
Not so many years ago (well, OK, it was a while ago) it would have been unthinkable that this conversation was going on at all, as Atack was a former OT Scientologist who had written one of the best books that ever exposed the church, 1990’s A Piece of Blue Sky, and paid for it with years of horrendous harassment by Scientology operatives.
Mike Rinder, meanwhile, oversaw those kinds of operations when he was in charge of Scientology’s spy wing, the Office of Special Affairs, for decades. But since his defection and teaming up with Leah Remini for her television show and podcast, Mike has become a fountain of knowledge about Scientology’s inner workings, as our readers well know. And what a treat that these two major figures in Scientology history are now having such a good time talking with each other for Jon’s video series.
Here’s the latest, as Mike recounts when he first met the old man himself, Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.
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We also checked in with Chris Shelton, who sent over his Saturday video for our perusal. Here’s what he had to say about it:
“In my podcast this week, where I’m joined by my wonderful wife Melissa, we discuss the psychological principle of double binds and how these are control mechanisms used to deceive, manipulate and control people in not just cults like Scientology but also in domestic partnerships. We talk about what these are, where the ideas come from and I give a lot of examples from my own Scientology experience of double binds that are rampant throughout all of Scientology and which affect all Scientologists. I hope that this is truly an educational video for people about a topic that is not discussed nearly enough. Enjoy!”
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“Always had a lot of fun riding motorcycles, it’s something I shouldn’t do, not in America. Motorcycles are ridden by delivery boys. They’re ridden by admirals and members of parliament over in England so I always have to ride motorcycles with an English accent anyway, to keep up my social caste, you know, it’s very important.” — L. Ron Hubbard, March 6, 1957
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“It should be made known that there has never been ANY order from the Commodore to have Dining Room windows left open so people freeze as they eat. There is an order to Chief Steward to handle cooking smells.” — OOD, March 6, 1971
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“LRH wrote up an assist process that helps a Being leave their body when they are ready. There’s no need to dramatically kill their body. I assisted my 90-year-old parent, successfully to cross over with this assist. The Being let me know all was OK in a dream. And I was honored to become a godmother.”
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2000: The St. Petersburg Times published an editorial on the criminal case against Scientology in the death of Lisa McPherson. “The tragedy of Lisa McPherson’s death in a Scientology hotel room has turned into a sad, convoluted mess that cries out for justice. An unexplained reversal by Pinellas-Pasco Medical Examiner Joan Wood has prosecutors reviewing their case and raises questions about Wood’s competence. Meanwhile, sworn statements by Scientologists paint a disturbing picture of McPherson’s final days and raise this question: Why was no individual charged with a crime? Wood certainly surprised the state attorney’s office. The new autopsy report is ‘something of major significance we need to review,’ said Assistant State Attorney Doug Crow. Amid the doubt, this much is clear: Wood owes the residents of Pinellas County an explanation; and State Attorney Bernie McCabe still needs to prosecute those his office determines to be responsible in McPherson’s suffering and death.”
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“Hubbard was definitely trolling people on some level. You can see it in that cartoon lupine grin he was always sporting.”
Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Masterson arraigned Jan 20. Next conf to set prelim, March 24.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay’s sentencing delayed to April 13.
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for May 20 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Charged in Brooklyn federal court on Feb 4. Arraigned on Feb 9. Pretrial conference set for Apr 29.
Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments were heard on July 30 at the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Petition for writ of mandate denied Oct 22 by Cal 2nd Appellate District. Petition for review by state supreme court denied Dec 11.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Dec 30, Judge Kleifield granted Scientology’s motions to compel arbitration. March 8: Status conference.
— Matt and Kathy Feschbach tax debt: Eleventh Circuit ruled on Sept 9 that Feshbachs can’t discharge IRS debt in bankruptcy. Dec 17: Feshbachs sign court judgment obliging them to pay entire $3.674 million tax debt, plus interest from Nov 19.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Second amended complaint filed, trial set for Nov 9, 2021.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs. Case appealed on Dec 24.
Concluded litigation:
— Dennis Nobbe, Medicare fraud, PPP loan fraud: Charged July 29. Bond revoked Sep 14. Nobbe dead, Sep 14.
— Jane Doe v. Scientology (in Miami): Jane Doe dismissed the lawsuit on May 15 after the Clearwater Police dropped their criminal investigation of her allegations.
——————–
SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks
The Australian Seven News network cancelled a 10-part investigation of Scientology and its history of dirty tricks. Read the transcripts of the episodes and judge for yourself why Tom Cruise and Tommy Davis might not have wanted viewers to see this hard-hitting series by journalist Bryan Seymour.
After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.
LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH
An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.
SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z
Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Other links: Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?
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THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Riffer madness: Scientology in a tizzy days before next week’s hearing in Masterson suit
[TWO years ago] When Scientology’s ‘disconnection’ is forever, and other developments
[THREE years ago] What Scientology TV should be about — but won’t dare to put on the air
[FOUR years ago] Scientology caught in a lie to federal court — but will the judge care?
[FIVE years ago] Scientology snags a TV news host, and other social media finds around the world
[SIX years ago] Scientology posts the (nearly) full deposition of reclusive ‘Justice Chief’ Mike Ellis
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology gets the ‘America’s Book of Secrets’ treatment soon!
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology Response to Federal Lawsuit: Force The Garcias to Use Church Arbitration
[NINE years ago] Scientology, Deposed? Debbie Cook Goes on the Offensive
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Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 2,232 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,736 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,256 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,276 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,167 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,474 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,342 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 3,116 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,920 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,236 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,802 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,721 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,889 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,470 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,731 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,769 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,482 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 2,007 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 362 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,537 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,088 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,237 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,557 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,412 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,531 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,887 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,190 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,296 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,698 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,570 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,153 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,648 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,902 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,011 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on March 6, 2021 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2020 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2020), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele
March 5, 2021
March 4 was a bust, and Q patriots now claim they always knew it was a false flag
Some links to Q-related items today…
Maybe Q is really Jesus and the ‘storm’ is the second coming. Sure, why the hell not.
Time to nut up, patriots! Quit yer job, sell the house, sell the kids, run for office, go to DC!
Oh well, March 4 was kind of a bust.
Out of the whole day so far out and about in the city, the only activist of any flavor I've seen is this guy, who demands police "strip and cavity search them [Trump supporters] for weapons."
He calls them the "Reich Wing" on his other sign. pic.twitter.com/YuLHjEM52r
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) March 4, 2021
The March 4 aftermath: We knew all along it wasn’t the right date, etc.
Some QAnon influencers moved away from March 4 theory over the last little while. And now regular supporters concur.
They are arguing that “true believers” always knew it was nothing. Q never gave dates. People didn’t do their research, followed false prophets, got misled, etc. pic.twitter.com/MNBFwGBqht
— Amarnath Amarasingam (@AmarAmarasingam) March 4, 2021
Fox News with a Q twist.
This is Maj Toure, the guy who ran the panel at CPAC where Angela Stanton-King spoke positively of QAnon. https://t.co/xb3D2NHoWK
— QAA Podcast (@QanonAnonymous) March 5, 2021
Looking for some background on the QAnon movement? We recommend Travis View’s excellent recent article at New York magazine as a place to start.
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THE LOWDOWN is our blog for news, the QAnon phenomenon, and other subjects not related to our coverage of the Church of Scientology. If it’s our Scientology coverage you’re looking for, please use this bookmark for our latest stories.
Posted by Tony Ortega on March 5, 2021 at 9:10
Danny Masterson: They called me an ‘agent’ of Scientology, so I get to sit in on arbitration
We have a fairly chilling document for you today which was filed by Danny Masterson in anticipation of a court hearing on Monday.
The hearing is intended to clear up what is going to happen with Bobette Riales and her portion of the lawsuit filed against Masterson, the Church of Scientology, and its leader David Miscavige by Danny’s sexual assault accusers.
Four of the plaintiffs — Chrissie Carnell Bixler, her husband Cedric Bixler-Zavala, and two women going by Jane Doe #1 and Jane Doe #2 — were all former Scientologists, and the church convinced Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Steven Kleifield that contracts they signed obliged them to take their grievances to Scientology’s internal “religious arbitration,” derailing their lawsuit. An appellate court has put a stay on any arbitration from happening as it considers a petition filed by the four former Scientologists.
But Riales was never a Scientologist, and the court has struggled with what to do with her claims while the rest of the lawsuit is on hold.
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Like the others, Riales alleges that she was subjected to years of harassment by Scientology and Masterson after she joined the others in an LAPD investigation of their claims that Masterson had violently raped them in incidents between 2001 and 2003. (Since they filed the lawsuit in August 2019, Masterson was charged last June with three counts of violently raping three of the women who are suing him, and he faces 45 years to life in prison if convicted.)
Judge Kleifield asked for statements from the various parties about what they think should happen with Bobette’s case while the rest is on hold. Both Masterson and the church responded that they were in favor of Kleifield putting her case on hold in the meantime, and it looks like that’s the most likely outcome.
But we were struck by something else Masterson addressed in his filing.
He used the opportunity to make clear once again that if and when the Scientology arbitrations do occur with Chrissie Carnell-Bixler and the others, he wants to take part. And to justify it, he is taking an argument that Bixler’s attorneys used against him and has turned it back on them.
To explain what we mean, we need to go back to the earliest period in this lawsuit, when Masterson filed something called a “demurrer” in an attempt to get himself dropped from the suit. Masterson argued that he had nothing to do with the women or their claims.
In order to counter his motion, Chrissie and her attorneys argued that Masterson is, in fact, an “agent” of Scientology as a prominent celebrity actor in the church who acts as a “Field Staff Member” to help the church bring in new members, and that he’s compensated for it.
Chrissie argued that as an agent of the Church of Scientology Masterson deserves to be part of a lawsuit alleging that the church harassed his rape victims when they dared to go to the LAPD.
Masterson’s demurrer was denied, and he remained a defendant in the lawsuit.
But now, more than a year later, the lawsuit has taken a serious turn against Chrissie, Cedric, and the two Jane Does. Judge Kleifield has decided that as former Scientologists who signed service contracts with the church, they have no right to trial and have to take their greivances to Scientology’s internal arbitration, which requires arbitrators who are members of the church in good standing.
And it stunned us that Judge Kleifield also ruled that Masterson could take part in such an arbitration, even as he’s facing 45 years to life in prison for raping the three former Scientologists, and while those women are under a protective order in the criminal case.
Masterson once again, in this new document, indicates that he would take part in an arbitration, and to twist the knife, he says that the justification for his participation is that, as the plaintiffs said, he’s an “agent” of the church.
Masterson’s participation in the Court-ordered arbitration is consistent with Plaintiffs’ theory of the case – i.e., that Masterson is an alleged “agent” of the other
Defendants…As an alleged “agent” of the signatories, Masterson is entitled to the benefit of the arbitration provision….As the Court has previously recognized, Plaintiffs’ claims against Masterson are predicated on the allegation that Masterson is an agent of the other Defendants, who are parties to enforceable arbitration agreements with Plaintiffs (except Plaintiff Riales). (Order of December 30, 2020, at 14.) Therefore, Masterson is entitled to enforce the arbitration agreements vis-à-vis those Plaintiffs.
Scientology loves nothing better than to turn your own arguments against you in a court case like this.
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});These women had argued that Danny Masterson was an agent of the Church of Scientology because they believed that he and the church had conspired to harass, libel, and stalk them because they dared to go to the LAPD.
And now Masterson is using that argument, that he’s an agent of the church, to put himself in the room with them as they sit in Scientology’s star chamber and seek justice from a kangaroo court.
It’s diabolical, and it’s central to the relief that these women are asking for in appellate court.
We’ll be listening Monday morning to see what Judge Kleifield has to say about all this.
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David Miscavige is into the quarterfinals!
The Twitter user “Tin Foil Awards” runs an annual bracket tournament to name the Tin Foil champion of the year.
Last year, it named anti-vaxx dumbass Andrew Wakefield as the 2020 winner.
This year, Scientology leader David Miscavige is making a Cinderella run, having bested racist loon and former congressman from Iowa Steve King, White House villain Stephen Miller, and British wackjob Katie Hopkins.
Here was his latest victory:
C.O.B. is on a tear!
He’s got a tough opponent in the quarterfinals in anti-vaxx crackpot Robert Kennedy Jr., but if he can win that match, he’ll advance to the semis. Here’s just his part of the bracket:
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“There’s a population explosion going on and I wish to Christ somebody would inform me how men are far scarcer in l972 than I ever found them in 325 B.C. How could they expend them back then? I remember around the turn of the millennia and so on, there were just mobs unemployed. Well, right now they keep them all that way with relief and dough and this and that and the other thing, and they’ve got some workable scheme or another. One of the silly ones which you hear, we did a survey, we did a survey on people, what they liked and so on, just a general survey in the Scandinavian area, and we found what they liked best was welfare and what they hated most was taxes. Oh, brother. Outpoint to end all outpoints.” — L. Ron Hubbard, March 5, 1972
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“INCOME: As Income at Flag in actual money not just credit is creeping steadily up, I think we should get alert to fully establishing org form and appearances of all three orgs especially the FSO. A mission just concluded shows the FSO in need of improvement in form and appearance, both of ship and FSO members. The basic and reasonable recommendation is that an LRH Comm FSO be appointed so that LRH orders and projects will get compliance by the senior officers as these orders and projects have built what was there. With rising Flag income potential, real meaning is given to this recommendation.” — The Commodore, March 5, 1971
“A Rons Org dude said to me Miscavige is in a Marcabian valance but didn’t want to directly say this because it was such special deep high gradient data which only Rons Org OTs know. You know how OTs act like they have superior knowledge and do that cheeky smile look. Anyway, it’s so silly because CBR’s ideas about Marcabians are exaggerated imagination delusions based on a fact that aliens do exist. He takes conspiracies too far. So it’s funny saying Miscavige is in a Marcab valance when the truth is that he is actually in an LRH valance which LRH made popular throughout Scientology and that’s why we have these hardcore angry Sea Org members and the severe reality adjustments. Want to know what LRH was like sometimes? Listen to the stories about Miscavige.”
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1999: Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger published an article this week on the charges against Scientology in Spain. “The indictment described Scientology as extremely dangerous. The members are said to be financially exploited and subjected to brainwashing. The twelve charges range from tax evasion to the formation of an illegal organization. The Scientologists promise cures without possessing the proper education or permits. The District Attorney even rates using the personality test for the recruitment of new customers as criminal. The person being tested is then told that he has (fictitious) psychic problems, which can be corrected with expensive courses and therapies, stated the District Attorney. The reality is that many people tested become psychically ill only after having taken the ‘therapy.’ The charges state that a diabetic was talked into believing that his illness was caused by psychic illness, and that it could be healed with Scientology courses. The patient later fell into a diabetic coma. The charges also include the Scientology co-organization of Narconon, which offers controversial therapy for drug addicts. This therapy includes daily sessions of up to five hours in the sauna and mega-doses of medications. The Scientology therapy center lacks any professional medical or psychological care, said the District Attorney. In addition, disobedient Scientologists were said to be locked up for days at a time.”
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“Seeing as how Scientology is the only ‘religion’ that doesn’t have theologians, there’s no worry about theological inconsistency. As far as plot-holes in the story go, the one thing that keeps them in is this steadfast assertion that they have observed auditing and the rest of the tech to actually work. If they can’t get past this and realize they have been tricking themselves, then at best they’ll be indies/FZ for the rest of their lives.”
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Masterson arraigned Jan 20. Next conf to set prelim, March 24.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay’s sentencing delayed to April 13.
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for May 20 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Charged in Brooklyn federal court on Feb 4. Arraigned on Feb 9. Pretrial conference set for Apr 29.
Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments were heard on July 30 at the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Petition for writ of mandate denied Oct 22 by Cal 2nd Appellate District. Petition for review by state supreme court denied Dec 11.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Dec 30, Judge Kleifield granted Scientology’s motions to compel arbitration. March 8: Status conference.
— Matt and Kathy Feschbach tax debt: Eleventh Circuit ruled on Sept 9 that Feshbachs can’t discharge IRS debt in bankruptcy. Dec 17: Feshbachs sign court judgment obliging them to pay entire $3.674 million tax debt, plus interest from Nov 19.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Second amended complaint filed, trial set for Nov 9, 2021.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs. Case appealed on Dec 24.
Concluded litigation:
— Dennis Nobbe, Medicare fraud, PPP loan fraud: Charged July 29. Bond revoked Sep 14. Nobbe dead, Sep 14.
— Jane Doe v. Scientology (in Miami): Jane Doe dismissed the lawsuit on May 15 after the Clearwater Police dropped their criminal investigation of her allegations.
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SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks
The Australian Seven News network cancelled a 10-part investigation of Scientology and its history of dirty tricks. Read the transcripts of the episodes and judge for yourself why Tom Cruise and Tommy Davis might not have wanted viewers to see this hard-hitting series by journalist Bryan Seymour.
After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.
LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH
An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.
SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z
Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Other links: Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?
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THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Naturally, shady Scientology operators are drawn to the gold rush of stem cell therapy
[TWO years ago] What’s creepier than a Scientology street fair? Apparently, not much.
[THREE years ago] Scientology turning to focus groups in anticipation of its TV ‘network’ premiering
[FOUR years ago] Scientology’s Narconon rehabs haven’t changed in the least, even after dozens of lawsuits
[FIVE years ago] Outfront Media rescinds contract for Scientology ‘disconnection’ billboard in Hollywood
[SIX years ago] ‘Will Smith is not a Scientologist’ — we elaborate on our quote the press went wild for yesterday
[SEVEN years ago] Larry Anderson: Scientology’s pitchman becomes a Bunker regular
[EIGHT years ago] Today, You Begin Your Training as a Scientologist
[NINE years ago] Paulette Cooper, With Help From the Voice, Discovers Her Heartrending Past
[TEN years ago] Daniel Montalvo Hits Scientology With Stunning Child Labor Lawsuits
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Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 2,231 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,735 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,255 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,275 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,166 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,473 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,341 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 3,115 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,919 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,235 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,801 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,720 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,888 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,469 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,730 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,768 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,481 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 2,006 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 361 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,536 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,087 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,236 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,556 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,411 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,530 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,886 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,189 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,295 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,697 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,569 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,152 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,647 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,901 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,010 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on March 5, 2021 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2020 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2020), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele
March 4, 2021
How QAnon patriots will know the storm is here today: Watch for the fence to come down
Some links to Q-related items today…
It’s March 4. Can the children being held in tunnels finally come out of the darkness?
How will patriots know the storm is coming today? The military will tear down the fence in DC.
Here’s a troubling report.
"A Guardian investigation of a website leak from the American Patriots Three Percent shows the anti-government militia group has recruited a network across the US that includes current and former military members, police and border patrol agents." https://t.co/uN93b4jPe2
— Amarnath Amarasingam (@AmarAmarasingam) March 4, 2021
A very good explainer on why QAnon patriots think today might be a big day.
NEW: Days after Joe Biden's inauguration, QAnon believers promoted 4 March as the day Donald Trump would unleash "the storm".
But amid recent pushback by influencers, followers deal with another disappointment.
Insight by @julianfeeld and @nezumi_ningen https://t.co/B6aBb6lZ3n
— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) March 4, 2021
Aw man, leave archeological sites alone.
A New Jersey man was charged with criminal mischief after police say he used a power tool vandalize a tablet at "America's Stonehenge" in 2019.
The tablet, which is purported to be 4,000 years old, was inscribed with the QAnon slogan "WWG1WGA." https://t.co/tqJWA2bQxy pic.twitter.com/XTSE7tEeTT
— Travis View (@travis_view) March 4, 2021
Looking for some background on the QAnon movement? We recommend Travis View’s excellent recent article at New York magazine as a place to start.
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THE LOWDOWN is our blog for news, the QAnon phenomenon, and other subjects not related to our coverage of the Church of Scientology. If it’s our Scientology coverage you’re looking for, please use this bookmark for our latest stories.
Posted by Tony Ortega on March 4, 2021 at 8:50
Read the brief filed by constitutional scholars supporting Danny Masterson’s accusers
Fourteen constitutional scholars have signed on to a strongly worded amicus brief submitted in support of Danny Masterson’s accusers and opposed to Scientology’s “religious arbitration.”
“Religious freedom is not the freedom to harm,” the document states in a powerful legal broadside by university professors from places like the Yale Divinity School, the University of Houston Law Center, and the University of Notre Dame.
The document was filed under the name of UNLV law school Professor Leslie C. Griffin, and it opens with this strong statement of purpose:
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
This case gives this court an excellent opportunity to state that religious freedom protects the right of individuals to be free from abuse. Religions have long stood for that freedom, but sometimes they have blocked it.
Religious freedom is not the freedom to harm. Too many people, too often, think it is. For example, courts originally concluded that all the churches’ choices to sexually abuse children, and then to bury the abuse in order to protect the abusers instead of the abused, were decisions protected from court review by the First Amendment. Gradually the courts learned that when religions remain outside the law, their members are harmed.
The brief was filed yesterday with the California 2nd Appellate Division in support of the petition filed by Chrissie Carnell Bixler and her fellow plaintiffs, who are suing Danny Masterson, the Church of Scientology, and Scientology’s leader David Miscavige. They’re asking the appeals court to reverse a lower court ruling that denied them a right to trial and forced them into Scientology’s “religious arbitration.”
These constitutional scholars clearly understand what’s at stake, that these former Scientologists are being told they have to take their allegations that Scientology has harmed them to Scientology’s own unfair internal court.
In this case, Petitioners Chrissie Carnell Bixler, Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Jane Doe #1, and Jane Doe #2 ask the court to allow a balanced court procedure that will listen to both Petitioners’ and Respondents’ claims. This would be in stark contrast to sending the church’s illegal conduct back to its own members for review instead of letting legal misconduct be reviewed by the courts. Petitioners ask that the court allow the Respondents’ terrible wrongs — including sexual assaults, harassment, stalking, and destruction of property — to be considered as civil wrongs instead of as acts protected by religious freedom. This court must stand with the courts that learned the lesson that churches should be punished, not rewarded, for their abuse, and rewarded only when they do the wonderful and supportive things that they often do.
We’ve got the entire document for you to look at. Please give it a good read and let us know what you think.
And for those just joining us, here’s the recap: Chrissie Carnell-Bixler and two women going by the names Jane Doe #1 and Jane Doe #2 went to the LAPD in 2016 with allegations that they had been raped by Danny Masterson in incidents between 2001 and 2003. All three of the women had been members of the Church of Scientology at the time, as is Masterson. Bobette Riales joined the investigation in 2017, but she had never been a Scientologist. In August 2019 the four women, and Chrissie’s husband, rocker Cedric Bixler-Zavala, filed a harassment lawsuit against Masterson, Scientology, and Scientology’s leader David Miscavige, claiming that they had been subject to years of surveillance and intimidation for coming forward to the police.
On June 16 last year, LA’s then-District Attorney Jackie Lacey charged Masterson with three counts of forcible rape, seeking a penalty of 45 years to life in prison. (The three victims he’s accused of raping are Chrissie Carnell-Bixler and the two Jane Does.) The three women were put under the shield of a protective order that prevents Masterson from contacting them.
It’s important to keep in mind that the criminal case and the civil lawsuit are separate: In the lawsuit, Chrissie and the other plaintiffs are not suing Masterson for raping them. They are suing over the harassment they say Masterson and Scientology put them through for coming forward with their rape allegations.
On December 30, Judge Kleifield ruled that the four plaintiffs in the lawsuit who had been Scientologists (Chrissie, Cedric, and the two Jane Does) had signed agreements while they were in the church that obliged them to take their grievances not to a civil court but to Scientology’s internal arbitration, which was actually a reworking of court martial rules and that is not a form of independent arbitration. Also, Kleifield made the rather stunning decision that Masterson himself could take part in the arbitration if he wanted to, and Masterson then indicated in a court filing that he did intend to take part.
In their petition to the appellate court, Chrissie’s attorneys are arguing that putting the women together with Masterson in an arbitration proceeding could not only interfere with the criminal prosecution, but it would also violate the protective order they were given in the criminal case. The plaintiffs can’t risk going through with an arbitration, they say, but they also can’t appeal Judge Kleifield’s ruling unless they do go through with the arbitration. It’s a pretty clear Catch-22.
The constitutional scholars have submitted an “amicus curiae” brief, advising the appeals court. The court is not obliged to take the advice of the brief, just as the court is not obliged to consider the petition. In most cases, such petitions are denied. But this situation presents such a clear conflict between the two cases, one civil, one criminal, that it seems to be something the appeals court would be interested in resolving.
Griffin, the UNLV professor who submitted the brief, was herself the victim of a vicious attack in 2016 while she was jogging, which left her in critical condition. Her attacker was sentenced to 6 to 15 years in prison.
Here’s the document. Give it a look and then tell us your thoughts:
Bixler v. Scientology: Amic… by Tony Ortega
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“Theta doesn’t have space or time. And therefore it’s very simple: Theta can just as well be in Milwaukee as Paris, simultaneously. And the only reason why you are this size conceptually and not the size of the galaxy conceptually is because you find it handier to conceive yourselves to be this size. And you’re actually looking at a piece of the physical universe — you, your body. But as far as your mind is concerned, there is no reason why it can’t only stretch through this galaxy but could go through all the island universes. You see how that could be? There is no limit, then, on how wide a mind can expand or how small it can contract, because it’s not size and it’s not time or space. Also, there is no reason why I can’t think something today and have you pick it up six months ago.” — L. Ron Hubbard, March 4, 1952
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“ACTION BRIEFING: An FO-CBO on Action’s Responsibility for Briefing is issued in the wake of the first weeks stat reduction of Jbg, Celebrity Center and possibly London. The foremost WHY is that these were ‘loners,’ only sent one person to the FEBC who then went home and got his hard. Morale — 2 minimum FEBCs must be sent. In short, Hades broke loose here when the stats didn’t go up at once there in two instances. Those lone guys better get a 2nd FEBC here in a hurry. It takes a team. Lovely stat boosts in all the rest we sent out.” — The Commodore, March 4, 1971
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“I remember going to the Lawrence Radiation Lab with my stepfather who is a nuclear physicist and being shown the bubble chamber and the atom splitter. Interesting stuff. He was part of the Manhattan Project, which is why I am looking forward to the day we can all sing hallelujah the physical sciences discover the thetan and really know what a thetan is.”
1998: Scientology’s Adventure newsletter announced a new volume in the Research & Discovery Series, The Infinite Potential of Theta. The promoted value of the book is to discover if you have a ‘body in pawn.’ “Technique 88 (an auditing method discussed therein) is the most hyperbolical, effervescent, dramatic, unexaggeratable, high-flown, superlative, grandiose, colossal, and magnificent technique which the mind of man could conceivably embrace. Technique 88 revealed the phenomenon of BODIES IN PAWN – a very gruesome experience… A fellow is grabbed, hypnotized, shoved into an electronic field, and then told he is somewhere else. And so he departs – most of him – and goes to the new location while still being under control of the implanters. He picks up a MEST body in the new location and starts living a life there, WHILE STILL HAVING A LIVING BODY SOMEWHERE ELSE. The implanters can keep his original body alive indefinitely, and control the thetan through it. If the thetan tries to flee, the hypnotizers simply cause pain to the original body, still alive in a vat of fluid, and he is immediately recalled. That’s a BODY IN PAWN. It’s a second body you may have, living somewhere else, right in present time. But the second body is not under YOUR direct control.”
——————–
“Bob, no offense, but thoughts don’t have mass.”
——————–
Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Masterson arraigned Jan 20. Next conf to set prelim, March 24.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay’s sentencing delayed to April 13.
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for May 20 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Charged in Brooklyn federal court on Feb 4. Arraigned on Feb 9. Pretrial conference set for Apr 29.
Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments were heard on July 30 at the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Petition for writ of mandate denied Oct 22 by Cal 2nd Appellate District. Petition for review by state supreme court denied Dec 11.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Dec 30, Judge Kleifield granted Scientology’s motions to compel arbitration. March 8: Status conference.
— Matt and Kathy Feschbach tax debt: Eleventh Circuit ruled on Sept 9 that Feshbachs can’t discharge IRS debt in bankruptcy. Dec 17: Feshbachs sign court judgment obliging them to pay entire $3.674 million tax debt, plus interest from Nov 19.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Second amended complaint filed, trial set for Nov 9, 2021.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs. Case appealed on Dec 24.
Concluded litigation:
— Dennis Nobbe, Medicare fraud, PPP loan fraud: Charged July 29. Bond revoked Sep 14. Nobbe dead, Sep 14.
— Jane Doe v. Scientology (in Miami): Jane Doe dismissed the lawsuit on May 15 after the Clearwater Police dropped their criminal investigation of her allegations.
——————–
SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks
The Australian Seven News network cancelled a 10-part investigation of Scientology and its history of dirty tricks. Read the transcripts of the episodes and judge for yourself why Tom Cruise and Tommy Davis might not have wanted viewers to see this hard-hitting series by journalist Bryan Seymour.
After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.
LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH
An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.
SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z
Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Other links: Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Los Angeles District Attorney: Jackie Lacey leading as slow vote tally continues
[TWO years ago] Scientology made him suicidal, but that was only the beginning of his problems
[THREE years ago] Scientology laying on the ‘religious freedom’ act thicker than ever as its TV channel nears
[FOUR years ago] In Scientology, you get to blame everything on your trillion-year-old mental booby traps
[FIVE years ago] Scientology officials panicked about overdose death of star Narconon pupil: Boyfriend
[SIX years ago] Scenes from the ‘Going Clear’ publicity caravan in midtown Manhattan
[SEVEN years ago] Bruce Hines takes us through Scientology’s Original Operating Thetan Level Seven!
[EIGHT years ago] Document Leak: Scientology Sexual Histories
[NINE years ago] Scientology Sunday Funnies: Use Kids to Solicit Donations? Why Not!
[THIRTEEN years ago] What to Get L. Ron Hubbard for his Birthday
——————–
Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 2,230 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,734 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,254 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,274 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,165 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,472 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,340 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 3,114 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,918 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,234 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,800 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,719 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,887 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,468 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,729 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,767 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,480 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 2,005 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 360 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,535 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,086 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,235 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,555 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,410 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,529 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,885 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,188 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,294 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,696 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,568 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,151 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,646 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,900 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,009 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on March 4, 2021 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2020 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2020), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele
March 3, 2021
The Capitol is on alert for QAnon nonsense, but March 4 looks more and more like a bust
Some links to Q-related items today…
Come on, guys. It’s obvious. The vaccine is the mark of the beast!
More about that little riot on January 6
NEW: Internal DHS docs show a day before Capitol riot, an intelligence division warned that anti-government and racially motivated extremists were likely to use Trump rally to “motivate followers to promote violence.” W/ @shaneharris @NickMiroff @FOIANate https://t.co/OjJXMbSXVU
— Aaron C. Davis (@byaaroncdavis) March 3, 2021
Aww. Looks more and more like tomorrow will be a bust.
LATEST: Capitol police are boosting security for March 4, a date that has taken on meaning for some #Qanon believers, but Q boosters are playing down the date, saying it’s a false flag: https://t.co/xDZ9VB0yJh
— Will Carless (@willcarless) March 3, 2021
But the Capitol is on alert just in case.
New from me + @BrandyZadrozny: D.C. police, FBI on alert ahead of QAnon’s 'True Inauguration Day'https://t.co/nfC8zQIdQC
— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) March 2, 2021
Whoops. They did Nazi this coming.
White supremacists are panicking after the FBI arrested a notorious racist livestreamer on Tuesday in an early morning raid. https://t.co/huXutHe9IV
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) March 2, 2021
A storm is a storm is a storm.
Tornado warning alerts – originally meant to be a test – were mistakenly sent to phones in parts of Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas today.
But QAnon believers are interpreting the mistake as unrelated to the weather and, in fact, a test "for the coming storm" on 4 March or later. pic.twitter.com/u336r07QUt
— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) March 2, 2021
Looking for some background on the QAnon movement? We recommend Travis View’s excellent recent article at New York magazine as a place to start.
————-
THE LOWDOWN is our blog for news, the QAnon phenomenon, and other subjects not related to our coverage of the Church of Scientology. If it’s our Scientology coverage you’re looking for, please use this bookmark for our latest stories.
Posted by Tony Ortega on March 3, 2021 at 8:55
Here’s the full appeal petition in the lawsuit against Danny Masterson and Scientology
Last week we told you that Chrissie Carnell-Bixler and her fellow plaintiffs had filed a petition with an appeals court in an attempt to reverse the ruling that forced their harassment lawsuit against Danny Masterson and the Church of Scientology into Scientology’s internal brand of “religious arbitration.”
Then, on Friday we told you that the appellate court had responded to the petition by putting Scientology’s arbitration on hold while they consider the document. We judged that was a good sign for Chrissie’s case, but we cautioned that it’s still uncommon for the appeals court to grant a writ at this stage. It’s still an uphill battle they’re fighting to get that decision in the lower court reversed.
In last week’s story we quoted from the petition for you, but now we are posting the entire document, and we want to get your thoughts on it.
Again, we want to point out that the court placed a stay on the case and that’s a good sign. But we’ve also been told that the appeals court is especially picky about these things, and so we’re interested in how well this document presents itself. And we’re looking forward to your thoughts on it.
When this legal team filed a similar petition on behalf of Valerie Haney, they brought in a specialist, an appellate attorney named Valerie McGinty, whose petition seemed pretty knockout great. But there was one big problem, it turned out. The legal team had filed it too late, and the petition was summarily rejected with hardly a notice from the court except that they had waited too long.
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});This time, it’s the legal team’s Bobby Thompson who has written the petition, and it appears to contain some very strong arguments. But there is a puzzling line in the opening paragraph.
Petitioners in this case are victims of violent sexual assault and rape by Defendant Daniel Masterson (with the exception of Petitioner Bixler-Zavala who is the husband of Petitioner Carnell-Bixler) on various occasions. Petitioners Carnell-Bixler, Jane Doe #1, and Jane Doe #2, are former Scientologists; Petitioners Bixler-Zavala have never been members of the Church of Scientology.
It appears to indicate that Chrissie and Cedric are now saying they weren’t members, and it was apparently a slight error and what was meant was that Cedric doesn’t consider himself a former member since he took only a single course.
There’s definitely always been some issue about what entails “membership” in the Church of Scientology, and we still remember Janet Reitman putting it so well in her 2011 book Inside Scientology — that the church itself counts just about anyone who so much as buys a book to be a Scientologist, and so she observed humorously that buying a single copy of Dianetics had probably put her on the membership rolls forever.
Are you a member if you only take a single course but never sign up for inclusion in the church’s membership organization, the International Association of Scientologists? It’s an interesting question.
The petition then gets into describing the insanity these plaintiffs now find themselves in. They were suing because, they claimed, Masterson and Scientology were harassing them and re-victimizing them after they came forward to the LAPD with their allegations of rape by Masterson in incidents between 2001 and 2003 (allegations for which Masterson is now facing 45 years to life in prison for in a separate criminal prosecution). But Judge Steven Kleifield of the Los Angeles Superior Court found that because they had signed contracts for religious services while in the church, four of the five plaintiffs don’t have a right to trial and now must take their grievances to the church’s internal arbitration, where Masterson himself may also participate.
in violation of Petitioners’ First Amendment and California constitutional right to freedom of religion and their California constitutional rights under Marsy’s Law which guaranty specific rights to crime victims like Petitioners, the trial court ordered that they submit to “Religious Services Arbitration,” which is controlled by the Church and is being wielded as a sword to re-traumatize these rape victims. Accordingly, writ relief is warranted.
Yeah, it sure seems like some kind of relief is warranted, that’s for sure.
Please go through the document and give us your observations. It sure seems like these women cannot go through with the arbitration they’ve been forced into without jeopardizing the criminal case and violating their own rights. Surely the appellate court must step in, right?
Here’s the document:
Bixler v. Scientology: Appe… by Tony Ortega
“Scientology has various ends. Out of Scientology you could formulate, for instance, a very fine type of ‘thought warfare’ which — much better than an atom bomb. No, an atom bomb just kills people — but you could take in ‘thought warfare,’ you could enslave them utterly. You could, you’d make complete slaves out of them, with a very simple contraption. Very simple. We’re doing it the honest way in Scientology, because with a very simple contraption, with the greatest of ease, we could go around and anybody who was opposing Scientology would all of a sudden start being madly, insanely in favor of it. But that’s the easy way to do it, and that’s what’s wrong with the race, is everybody has tried it the easy way — control, restraint, more engrams, more punishment.” — L. Ron Hubbard, March 3, 1952
——————–
“From the inspection of the ship for sea, the decks, bridge, Commodore’s and Aides areas, E/R, most Div III area, Tweendecks, and interior areas looks good. The most glaring outnesses were in personal cabins and a few unsecured items in office area. The MAA has the list and all is to be ready by 0900 for his further inspection. Each crew member in his own time will thoroughly clean his cabin for an inspection tomorrow at sea. Well it will be good to get to sea. After the all hands, Watch E will take her out. Lets have a great trip and bring home the bacon!” — Capt. W.B. Robertson, Capt. Yacht Apollo, (1970)
——————–
“It’s time to challenge the 60-year-old cliché about DNA as the blueprint of the body. It’s more like a list of the proteins that the cell will produce in response to various cues, either internal or external. There might also be a distinction between the engrams of the GE and those owned by the thetan. Looking from the top down, from the thetan’s viewpoint, an engram is just a section of the time track that he isn’t taking responsibility for creating. But looking from the other direction, the GE holds engrams as valuable for building structure. And from early Dianetics up to his research on effort processing, L. Ron Hubbard was addressing the GE. The organism is the mind of the GE, a mind that records action – counter-effort and effort – rather than thought. I think biology is starting to reject the view of organisms as machines built to rigid plans, in favour of considering them more like analog computers that respond to an array of external counter-efforts with efforts ‘calculated’ to maximise their survival.”
——————–
1997: Critics of Scientology descended on Clearwater to protest Scientology, and the death of Lisa McPherson. Protesters were mobbed by Scientologists carrying counter-protest signs at the protest. Scientologists at the vigil crowded the sidewalk and blew out vigil candles. From UPI: “Tension appears to be mounting in Clearwater, evidenced by a weekend protest against the Church of Scientology. Saturday, some 30 placard- carrying protesters were outnumbered 10 to one by Scientologists outside their Fort Harrison Hotel headquarters. The protesters were there on behalf of Lisa McPherson, who died in the care of church members. Her death is being investigated by Clearwater police. Family members claim there are suspicious circumstances surrounding her death, while Scientologists allege the police are on a witch hunt.”
——————–
“Seeing as how boxers get knocked out more than any other group, RTC is missing a golden opportunity to prove the efficacy of Dianetic theory by grabbing some punch-drunk pugilist off of Skid Row and giving him six months of auditing and then calling a press conference where the former rummy could recite Shakespeare and explain quantum theory to all present. Why doesn’t C.O.B. think of these things?”
——————–
Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Masterson arraigned Jan 20. Next conf to set prelim, March 24.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay’s sentencing delayed to April 13.
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for May 20 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Charged in Brooklyn federal court on Feb 4. Arraigned on Feb 9. Pretrial conference set for Apr 29.
Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments were heard on July 30 at the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Petition for writ of mandate denied Oct 22 by Cal 2nd Appellate District. Petition for review by state supreme court denied Dec 11.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Dec 30, Judge Kleifield granted Scientology’s motions to compel arbitration. March 8: Status conference.
— Matt and Kathy Feschbach tax debt: Eleventh Circuit ruled on Sept 9 that Feshbachs can’t discharge IRS debt in bankruptcy. Dec 17: Feshbachs sign court judgment obliging them to pay entire $3.674 million tax debt, plus interest from Nov 19.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Second amended complaint filed, trial set for Nov 9, 2021.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs. Case appealed on Dec 24.
Concluded litigation:
— Dennis Nobbe, Medicare fraud, PPP loan fraud: Charged July 29. Bond revoked Sep 14. Nobbe dead, Sep 14.
— Jane Doe v. Scientology (in Miami): Jane Doe dismissed the lawsuit on May 15 after the Clearwater Police dropped their criminal investigation of her allegations.
——————–
SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks
The Australian Seven News network cancelled a 10-part investigation of Scientology and its history of dirty tricks. Read the transcripts of the episodes and judge for yourself why Tom Cruise and Tommy Davis might not have wanted viewers to see this hard-hitting series by journalist Bryan Seymour.
After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.
LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH
An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.
SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z
Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Other links: Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Expert: Scientology’s Grant Cardone ‘helping sell fake stem cell products to the public’
[TWO years ago] Scientology claims to be the experts on drugs — their actual materials beg to differ
[THREE years ago] Garcias ask for hearing on farcical ‘arbitration’; Scientology files 600 pages in Laura D case
[FOUR years ago] LAPD PROBING SCIENTOLOGY AND DANNY MASTERSON FOR MULTIPLE RAPES, COVER-UP
[FIVE years ago] Scientology, in forced-abortion case: It’s not abuse if you don’t complain when it’s happening
[SIX years ago] How’s this for a gift on L. Ron Hubbard’s birthday? ‘Going Clear’ in theaters March 13
[SEVEN years ago] John Travolta’s fun night at the Oscars
[EIGHT years ago] Sunday Funnies: Get Your Infant Audited!
[NINE years ago] SCIENTOLOGY FILES FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AGAINST DEBBIE COOK
——————–
Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 2,229 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,733 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,253 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,273 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,164 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,471 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,339 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 3,113 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,917 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,233 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,799 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,718 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,886 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,467 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,728 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,766 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,479 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 2,004 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 359 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,534 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,085 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,234 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,554 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,409 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,528 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,884 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,187 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,293 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,695 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,567 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,150 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,645 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,899 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,008 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on March 3, 2021 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2020 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2020), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 15 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele
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