Tony Ortega's Blog, page 344

“There’s a very simple way of making somebody’s arthritis turn on with violence. And you just walk up to ’em like this and wiggle your hands in front of his face. And of course by giving him this confusion outside of his body, he holds harder onto the body and that is what arthritis is, it’s a solid hold. All right. Now, you take an arthritic and you start to say hello and OK to this arthritic leg or joint, or something of this character, you are actually attempting to as-is or knock out of existence my communication, a lot of actual calcium. So it isn’t going to work. Not well or easily. But you take slight little somatics, little conditions, or fears of things, and run two way communication on them and you get some fabulous results.” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 26, 1957

——————–

“If you think we are losing ground, according to a head count to date, three major enemies and the three biggest enemy names are finished. Cecil King lost his directorship in the Bank of England and his newspaper claim which included the Daily Mail. Sir William Carr has also lost his directorship in the Bank of England and has been ousted from his papers and was last seen trying to unite with ‘Truth’ newspapers of Australia, owned by Murdoch. Kenneth Robinson, ex-Minister of Health UK has been ousted and is in disgrace with his group. All three were also directors of the ‘National Association for Mental Health’ of the UK. Three scalps. Any more candidates for our ‘coupstick’?” — The Commodore, February 26, 1969

——————–

“I wanted to share a win. The other day I was driving on the freeway and behind me there was a Highway Patrolman. It was a beautiful day and my anchor points were way out. I could ‘feel’ all the other cars around me and I could feel the tenseness from the other drivers. The tone level noticeably dropped. I still kept my space and confronted the area. The next thing that happened is that the cop pulled someone over. He turned his lights on and the other car pulled off the freeway to get his ticket or whatever. Instantly I felt a big blowdown from the other drivers and the tone level shot up into cheerfullness. It just reminded me that I am a thetan and that I am able to percieve many good things. I got a lot from the Scientology philosophy. I am thankful for many of my experiences with the tech.”

Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});——————–

1999: The South China Morning Post reported that the fiancé of Scientology celebrity Kirstie Alley has left her, following a Scientology wedding ceremony, but before a legal ceremony. “Melrose Place actor James Wilder, who also had a recurring role on her latest series, Veronica’s Closet, told friends he was fed up with her constant moans about her appearance. ‘I don’t have the keys to the fountain of youth and I can’t make her young again,’ Wilder, 35, said. Late last year, Wilder and Alley, 48, went though an unofficial Scientology wedding ceremony to cement their relationship. Now, friends say that Alley, whose 14-year marriage to Parker Stevenson ended in 1996, is heartbroken at being left on her own.”

——————–

SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks

“For the last time it’s a genderless demon eating a turkey leg.”

——————–

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.

——————–

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.

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.

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] SEVENTH victim comes forward to LAPD accusing Scientology actor Danny Masterson
[TWO years ago] Jenna Elfman’s career finds new life in the zombie apocalypse
[THREE years ago] What happened when we had a scientist look at L. Ron Hubbard’s ‘science’ of life in the womb
[FOUR years ago] Florida attempts sensible change to mental health law — so Scientology goes on attack
[FIVE years ago] The shocking space opera secret that is guiding Scientology litigation
[SIX years ago] Can you help solve this odd Scientology financial mystery?
[SEVEN years ago] Ryan Hamilton files another lawsuit against Scientology’s Nevada drug rehab facility
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology’s “Disconnection” Policy: Music Lovers, This One Will Break Your Heart
[NINE years ago] Scientology and Nation of Islam Exposed in Florida School Takeover

——————–

Scientology disconnection, a reminder

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 2,224 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,728 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,248 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,268 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,159 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,466 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,334 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 3,108 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,912 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,228 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,794 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,713 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,881 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,462 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,723 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,761 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,474 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,999 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 354 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,529 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,080 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,229 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,549 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,404 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,523 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,879 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,182 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,288 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,690 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,562 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,145 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,640 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,894 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,003 days.

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on February 26, 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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Published on February 26, 2021 04:00

Q patriots wonder if that was Trump body double golfing with zombie JFK yesterday

Some links to Q-related items today…

A photo of Trump relaxing with golfing great Jack Nicklaus was met with bewilderment by Q patriots who wondered if they were seeing a body double with undead JFK or something.

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It’s gotta be tough to go through life with Bill Gates monitoring your every move.

Is the air going out of the balloon?

It's still too early to say what the future holds for QAnon, but three factors are clearly hurting the movement:

1) Trump is no longer president

2) Q is no longer dropping

3) QAnon content is no longer getting enormous traction on major social platformshttps://t.co/LgxYi4yexX

— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) February 24, 2021

Is it poetic justice?

It's like sad, sad, very sad poetry. pic.twitter.com/LxmuxQ9RNn

— Rumor Flies (@RumorFlies) February 25, 2021

Remember Pelosi’s laptop?

New from me in Bellingcat today: Riley Williams, the woman accused of stealing Nancy Pelosi's laptop on January 6th, expressed pro-Nazi, accelerationist beliefs and heiled Hitler in an Atomwaffen-style video:https://t.co/Kvx9kXxLiG

— Robert Evans (The Only Robert Evans) (@IwriteOK) February 24, 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 February 25, 2021 at 9:35

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Published on February 25, 2021 06:35

Scientology celeb family the Mastersons selling houses: Getting out of Dodge?

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[Bijou Phillips, Danny, Alanna, Ben Shulman, Carol Masterson, and Amy Chidiac in 2008]

With Danny Masterson facing 45 years to life in prison, we’ve been keeping a close watch on his criminal and civil cases at Los Angeles Superior Court. But we’ve also kept an eye out for what’s going on with the rest of the family, and there’s quite a lot going on.

— Danny’s mother Carol Masterson has now sold a beloved family home in Utah after getting it tangled up in a bizarre court fight.

— Danny’s brother Christopher Masterson and his wife actress Yolanda Pecoraro have sold their Los Angeles home that was also partly in Danny’s name.

— And their younger sister Alanna Masterson just put her Los Angeles house on the market.

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Meanwhile, with both of his expensive Southern California estates tied up in his $3.3 million bail, Danny Masterson has been posting photos from Oregon since the beginning of the year and has been spotted there by locals.

Is something with this family going on as Danny faces the frightening prospect of a courtroom showdown in Los Angeles with multiple women who say he violently raped them?

We thought you’d want to hear the details.

Just a few days before the That ’70s Show actor was charged on June 16 with raping three former Scientologists, we remarked on the strange financial entanglements of his mother Carol Masterson and stepfather, Rusty Tweed.

Tweed was sued in 2017 by the SEC, which accused him of defrauding investors in a Ponzi-like scheme, while FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, banned him from trading securities for life.

We pointed out in that story an odd detail we found in the SEC’s paperwork: That while his financial scheme was falling apart, Tweed set aside $50,000 to make one of his stepsons whole before it all came crashing down. But which stepson — Danny, Christopher, or Jordan Masterson — was not identified. Tweed himself didn’t respond to our email asking if he would clarify which of his stepsons had benefited while his other investors took a bath.

[Carol Masterson, Rusty Tweed, and Christopher Masterson]

Also in that story, we told you about the saga of Carol Masterson’s Park City, Utah home, which had been a favorite of the whole family. Danny Masterson often posted photos of Park City vacations.

Carol bought the house in 2006 with a $1.4 million mortgage, but she defaulted on the loan in 2010. In 2018 she sued the mortgage holder, Nationstar Mortgage, representing herself in court and making a lot of bizarre allegations, and submitting an affidavit from her husband Rusty as evidence for her claims. Nationstar countered by pointing out that Tweed’s credibility was zero after he was sued by the SEC. The court granted Nationstar summary judgment, but in January 2020 Carol filed an appeal which was similarly unhinged.

Well, here’s what we can tell you happened since then. In July, the appeals court affirmed the lower court ruling, and Carol’s lawsuit was dead. But if Nationstar had thoughts of initiating foreclosure proceedings, the pandemic provided Carol some relief as a moratorium assured she wouldn’t have to do anything until the end of the year.

With that deadline looming, however, records show that on December 2 Carol sold the Park City house to realtor Grant Sisler.

According to the Summit County assessor’s office, the 2020 value of the house, which we believe reflects the December 2 sale price, was $1,537,909.

That same day, December 2, Sisler put the house on the market for $3.3 million. Its current asking price is $3.195 million.

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[The Park City house]

Just a few weeks after Carol finally sold the Park City house, Christopher Masterson and his wife Yolanda Pecoraro sold their hillside Northeast Los Angeles house on Eldred Street for $1.45 million. Danny Masterson was also a part owner of the house and signed the deed transfer on December 29.

[The house on Eldred Street]

Real estate websites say the sale was finalized on January 28.

And then, on Monday, Danny’s younger sister, Walking Dead actress Alanna Masterson, put her charming Atwater Village house on the market, with an asking price of $1.349 million.

As for Danny himself, he has two expensive estates in Southern California, his Hollywood Hills house on Hollyridge Drive which real estate websites value at about $4 million, and a four-bedroom home on 9.5 acres in Santa Ynez in Santa Barbara County where he was actually living, which is valued at about $2.2 million.

Records show that Masterson put up both homes to guarantee the $3.3 million bond that allows him to stay out of custody while he awaits trial.

But since the first of the year, he’s apparently been spending a lot of time in Oregon, where the cost of living is lower, and where he’s less liable to run into the kind of tabloid photographers who tracked him down at his Santa Ynez home last summer.

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[Showing visitors the vines at the Santa Ynez house]

You may also remember our story about the court fight Danny himself has been involved in over his Hollyridge Drive house that is similar to the one his mother filed over her Utah house.

Like her, Danny has represented himself in a series of lawsuits that make bizarre allegations about the reality of financial documents, which the court has swatted down multiple times.

We don’t know if Danny is planning, like his mother, to get out from under that mess by selling his home. But if he were to get rid of his expensive California estates, encumbered as they are by the bail bond, he could sure live a lot more cheaply in a place like Oregon. And with the kind of money he’s spending on pricey attorneys like Tom Mesereau and Marty Singer for his criminal and civil defense work, and with That ’70s Show not being renewed by Netflix last year, Danny may need to find ways to stanch the financial bleeding.

Danny’s former stepfather Joe Reaiche has told us that Carol and her children are extremely tight as a family, and he said that they would not waver in their support of Danny, no matter the allegations against him.

We won’t be surprised if the entire clan decides to ditch the prying eyes of Los Angeles and decamp for somewhere more secluded.

——————–

“One of the things that is going to happen in the next few months: You will probably see, increasingly, the word ‘Scientology’ occurring. And that is in order to give doctors of medicine and psychiatrists and psychologists an out. It is pretty hard, after a man has made a pronunciamento about which he knows nothing, to convince him that he ought to say something else about it now that he knows something about it, because he will lose face with the people he has said this to. So if we just give him another word for a similar package and we say ‘Now it’s Scientology, and Scientology embraces the Axioms,’ why, then, two things will happen: He can say, ‘Well, Dianetics was no good and Hubbard was really crazy when he threw that one. But Scientology — now, that’s different. scientifically done. It has a great many things to recommend it. Well organized, and it works! (Dianetics didn’t!)’ And as the students who are going to graduate out of Hubbard College will discover, their degrees are in Scientology, not in Dianetics. It says that they are professional Scientologists and that they are capable of understanding mental and physical stress and are eligible for further degree work in Scientology. So I hope these graduates will feel themselves capable of understanding physical and mental stress!” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 25, 1952

——————–

“In LA and now on Flag someone is justifying reserves and prices charged by saying ‘Ron needs it’ or ‘it goes to repay Ron.’ It isn’t true. I’ve received no 10 percents for ages. An audit of monies owed me by orgs showed about 13.5 million pounds some years ago. I long since forgave the 13.5 million. Other more recent sums aren’t included. It takes money to run things and keep the show on the road. A lot of money. Particularly in our expanding scene. It’s all for a worthwhile cause. The actual cost of L10ing someone and giving all grades is close to the price charged. A hundred million would be a low down payment for our org tech. So realise the value of what’s being bought and sold. What’s the value of health to a suffering man? What’s the value of immortality to an Earthbound eclipsed being? You’re right. It would be priceless. There isn’t that much money. It doesn’t go to me. So let’s keep the scene real in all selling and pricing. It’s for priceless results. For the pc. Not for me. I am in a relaxed frame of mind of owing no one anything and not being worried about what I’m owed. Let’s keep it cool. (And by the way did you know the psychoanalyst and psychiatrist charge ten times our total fees for delivering a long and agonizing death?)” — The Commodore, February 25, 1971

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——————–

“Once I heard of a college mathematics professor who was teaching his students that it was impossible to divide by zero. Based on what I had learned from LRH about the nature of zero I said to him, ‘Sure you can, and in all cases the answer is infinity.’ He started to say ‘No, no, no,’ but then his eyes opened wide and he said, ‘Wait a minute. You’re right! How did you know that? I never heard anyone say that before!’ He thought I was a genius. But it was LRH.”

——————–

1998: Jim Lippard reported that Bruce Petticrew’s hearing in Arizona resulted in a limited restraining order, which prevents Bruce from making enough noise to disrupt worship services. “Leslie Durhman, current Director of Special Affairs of the Mesa Org, claimed when questioned by the judge that Bruce had shouted loud enough to ‘disturb services’ on multiple occasions during his pickets, because the door to the Org is sometimes left open when the air conditioning isn’t working. The judge, based on his comments in his decision, clearly believed that the Church of Scientology holds ‘worship services’ and that their freedom of worship was being disrupted by noise, and so made a content-neutral restriction on Bruce to prevent such disruption in order to uphold their freedom of religion. Of course, there ARE no such ‘worship services’ held at the Mesa Org or any other Church of Scientology — the judge simply assumed that this ‘church’ is like churches he was familiar with.”

——————–

SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks

“When you tell vaLLarrr that LRH had no degrees or academic training, s/he replies that science hasn’t caught up to LRH yet and that Newton was insane and Einstein was a high school dropout. Rathbun was doing the same thing when he was trying to compare the quantum theory that nothing really exists unless you’re looking at it with Hubbard’s bullshit about subjective reality.”

——————–

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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:
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs.
— 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.

——————–

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.

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.

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] Is David Miscavige winning? Scientology seems to be on a roll, but is the law about to step in?
[TWO years ago] No, the National Enquirer has not ‘found’ Scientology’s Shelly Miscavige
[THREE years ago] Orlando, you’re next! Scientology makes an ‘Ideal’ move on the magic kingdom
[FOUR years ago] More federal charges for Scientology family that sold rhino horn products
[FIVE years ago] Laura DeCrescenzo, on eve of crucial hearing, explains Scientology for new judge
[SIX years ago] Now it’s Scientology UK that opens its books, and we have the numbers
[SEVEN years ago] Telepathic space-age exorcism — Let’s do Scientology’s New Operating Thetan Level Six!
[EIGHT years ago] Anne Archer, Terry Jastrow, and…Could It Be…Tommy Davis, At Film Reception Tonight?
[NINE years ago] Scientology Thaumaturgy: Commenters of the Week!

——————–

Scientology disconnection, a reminder

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 2,223 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,727 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,247 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,267 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,158 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,465 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,333 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 3,107 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,911 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,227 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,793 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,712 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,880 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,461 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,722 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,760 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,473 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,998 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 353 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,528 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,079 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,228 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,548 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,403 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,522 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,878 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,181 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,287 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,689 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,561 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,144 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,639 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,893 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,002 days.

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on February 25, 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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Published on February 25, 2021 04:00

Florida legislator Chris Latvala goes after Tampa Bay Times for its Scientology reporting

[Florida Rep. Chris Latvala at a 2015 opening for a Scientology rehab]

Our thanks to ISNOINews for making us aware of a wild exchange that took place last night on Twitter between Florida Rep. Chris Latvala and Tracey McManus, reporter for the Tampa Bay Times.

In a series of tweets, Latvala attacked McManus and the Tampa Bay Times for its Scientology coverage, and that conversation has continued into today with Latvala also sending a tweet our way.

We’ve put it all into chronological order to help you understand what’s going on.

First, you might review a great piece Rod Keller wrote for this website in 2017 about how the Latvala family has long been a friend to Scientology in Florida politics, including Chris, who gave a speech at the opening of a new Scientology Narconon rehab in 2015. Speaking about the new clinic in Clearwater, Latvala’s endorsement can be found on Scientology’s website to this day:

“I have had the opportunity to talk to people who have completed the Narconon program,” said State Representative Latvala in reflecting on the impact Narconon has upon the individual. “They talk about leaving drug addiction for good and returning to their families clean and whole again. And I can’t wait to attend your Narconon graduations and behold the bright new lives and hopes that will spring forth from those doors. Our community needs this, and that is why I am very happy that Narconon Suncoast is here.”

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Fast forward to yesterday, when Tracey McManus had a new story about how the Florida Legislature had announced that the state would be receiving about 5,500 digital books for children from the California company Age of Learning, which runs the program for toddlers ABCMouse.

She pointed out, however, that in September Age of Learning paid $10 million to settle a complaint from the FTC which accused it of making it very difficult for parents to quit the program after signing up for automatic renewals. Age of Learning was running what was called a “Roach Motel” — you could check in but never check out.

And not only had the Florida legislature ignored that when it decided to accept the free ebooks, but also, McManus pointed out, and here she gave us some credit, we’ve been pointing out for years that Age of Learning is really Doug Dohring, a wealthy Scientologist who has given at least $20 million in donations to the church.

Yesterday afternoon, Latvala went on the attack.

Tracey helpfully explained what Latvala was actually attacking the newspaper for.

Latvala then played the Soros card.

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Tracey knows a red herring when she sees one.

Latvala: Why didn’t the newspaper point out the awful truth earlier? No fair.

And then an even more cryptic shot at the newspaper about its, um, funding?

Latvala takes another swipe at the Times for not being what it once was, which every newspaper that has ever existed hears just about every single day, we can assure you.

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Tracey isn’t having it.

Latvala was also hearing it from others, and his responses were about as disingenuous.

Latvala here sounds just like his pals at Scientology, calling a reporter a bigot for reporting on one of the most controversial organizations ever.

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Tracey isn’t having it, part two.

Latvala then trots out Scientology’s classic “but the Jews” thing…

…and Tracey immediately knocks it down — she’s covering a church that has its headquarters in the newspaper’s backyard.

Latvala tries to be helfpul? Sort of?

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And now he tries to raise some doubts about Tracey’s actual reporting…

…and again, she’s not having it.

Latvala tried to justify his Soros reference to another tweeter, and Tracey explained how it was part of Latvala’s strategy to divert attention from the real issue.

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Latvala keeps digging after the Soros thing.

And again, Tracey isn’t having it. Then, after another dodge from Latvala, Tracey calls it a night.

When we noticed the exchange this afternoon, we decided to make sure folks understood who was running interference here for Scientology, a politician whose family has long been close to the church.

Latvala then responded by pretending we had called him a Scientologist.

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We weren’t having it.

——————–

“The gross divisional statistic of HCO is letters out and letters in. Why? Because the Existence of an org is real to the public mainly by writing in and getting answered. The volume of letters out and letters in is wholly in the ability of HCO to control. After all, it is the HUBBARD COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE. When letters don’t go out in volume, the public and field don’t know the org is there. When letters come in and aren’t answered then the public jolly well knows the org isn’t there and gets ARC Broke about it as well! You can advertise. You must send out mags and these also say the org is there. But that personal communication to Joe, Joe’s reply and answering Joe is vital vital vital for Joe now knows you’re there.” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 24, 1966

——————–

“ANCHOR: We will be at anchor until we leave Thursday evening. We will cut short our stay in the next port, arriving there the 26th and departing the 1st of March, giving us only 4 days there. This lets us take part in some celebrations in the port after next. Webspread will be very pleased — if he ever comes back.” — The Commodore, February 24, 1971

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——————–

“I have to say at this point I am wondering what a clean 10-year run of the Bridge as LRH intended and particularly the OT Levels might do for this planet and Scientology’s reputation. Imagine no quickie grades, allowing the PC to have his wins, correctly calling F/N’s, Ethics used to help rather than control or punish, attention to people rather than stats, OT levels where you don’t return home broke or ill, willing to take calls in the evening because you know it’s your Reg and friend down at the Org who is looking out for you and you know it. In the background of my mind the song ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon is playing. Imagine theta too.”

——————–

1997: In preparation for next week’s protest in Clearwater, members of Scientology’s OSA began calling on a.r.s participants this week. From Maggie Council: “I got mine on Tuesday. I didn’t particularly want to talk to Bennetta Slaughter, who claimed to be Lisa McPherson’s best friend, but I spent a few minutes on the phone with her. It was the things she didn’t tell me that bothered me. Like that she also was Lisa’s boss at AMC Publishing in Clearwater. Like that she had been sent to ‘handle’ me, to convince me not to attend the candlelight vigil. And it bugged me that, for someone who just lost her best friend, she was more interested in dead-agenting Lisa’s family than finding out what really happened to her friend, amid all the contradictions. She didn’t tell me anything substantial, anything that could be independently verified, or anything to make me wonder anything other than why she was wasting my time telling me all this. I felt sorry for her. OSA has given her a tough job and I don’t think she’ll succeed.”

——————–

SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks

“I seem to recall that a fear of heights is an engram caused by the thetan-occupied clam remembering being dropped by a seagull.”

——————–

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 March 2.
— 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:
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs.
— 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.

——————–

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.

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.

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] DRONE FLYOVER: Saturday’s Scientology ‘Ideal Org’ opening in Ventura, California
[TWO years ago] In Scientology, every dollar you own is under constant attack
[THREE years ago] Scientology fires back at the Garcias, but reveals absolutely bonkers ‘arbitration’ instructions
[FOUR years ago] Whale watching, 2017 edition: Who’s keeping Scientology from sinking?
[FIVE years ago] Monique Rathbun is on the clock at the Texas Supreme Court, and more in our legal roundup
[SIX years ago] New government release contains a surprise: L. Ron Hubbard flunked out of high school, too!
[SEVEN years ago] Monique Rathbun files motion for contempt against Scientology defendants
[EIGHT years ago] OSCAR NIGHT LIVE-BLOGGING: Scientology on the Hot Seat with John Travolta and ‘The Master’
[NINE years ago] Scientology on the High Seas: Hubbard Welcomes the New Meat!

——————–

Scientology disconnection, a reminder

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 2,222 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,726 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,246 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,266 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,157 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,464 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,332 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 3,106 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,910 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,226 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,792 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,711 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,879 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,460 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,721 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,759 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,472 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,997 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 352 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,527 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,078 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,227 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,547 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,402 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,521 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,877 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,180 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,286 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,688 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,560 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,143 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,638 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,892 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,001 days.

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on February 24, 2021 at 13:25

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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Published on February 24, 2021 10:26

QAnon patriots struggle to fit Tiger Woods accident into their prophecies

Some links to Q-related items today…

We’re hoping Tiger Woods heals up quickly from his horrific accident. In the meantime, Q patriots tried to fit the accident into their prophecies: “Is Tiger good or bad?”

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Tucker Carlson: Q? What Q?

This is blatantly false from Tucker Carlson. "Q" has been based on 8kun, plus there have been multiple sites dedicated to tracking "Q" posts. https://t.co/1Oz0F9xOy6

— Alex Kaplan (@AlKapDC) February 24, 2021

And Travis View schools him.

Hold the line patriots, this is a test from God!

QAnon conspiracy theorist and so-called "firefighter prophet" Mark Taylor says that refusing to accept that Biden is president is a test of loyalty to God. pic.twitter.com/BZVMOhSp7T

— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) February 23, 2021

Come on, quit trying to give Antifa credit for what Q patriots accomplished!

“It was not Antifa."

NEW: At about the same time Sen. Ron Johnson floated a conspiracy theory on the Capitol attack, the feds unsealed a case against a Trump fan who brawled with police and then tried to shoot down Antifa rumors on a pro-Trump forum.https://t.co/dY97dr2J1w

— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) February 23, 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 February 24, 2021 at 8:25

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Published on February 24, 2021 05:28

MASTERSON ACCUSERS PETITION APPELLATE COURT: Seeking to overturn ‘arbitration’ ruling

[Chrissie Carnell Bixler and Danny Masterson]

As expected, four former Scientologists suing Danny Masterson and the Church of Scientology filed a petition yesterday with California’s 2nd Appellate District, asking the court to reverse a December 30 ruling by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Steven Kleifield that denied them a right to trial and forced their case into Scientology’s internal “religious arbitration.”

Scientology’s attorneys convinced Judge Kleifield that contracts signed by the four former Scientologists obliged them to take their grievances to arbitration rather than to court.

The petition will need to convince the appellate court that an extraordinary situation exists that calls for intervening in the lawsuit and reversing Kleifield’s ruling. But the appeals court is under no obligation to take up the matter and in fact such petitions are not commonly granted.

Last year a similar attempt was made by Valerie Haney, who was represented by the same legal team and also had her lawsuit against the church derailed by a ruling in favor of Scientology arbitration. The appellate court denied her petition on grounds that Haney had waited too long to file it.

This time the lawyers representing Masterson’s accusers — Chrissie Carnell-Bixler, her husband rocker Cedric Bixler-Zavala, and two women going by the names Jane Doe #1 and Jane Doe #2 — filed more quickly, and they also have a big difference from Haney’s case to point to, and that’s Marsy’s Law.

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This civil harassment lawsuit is separate from the criminal prosecution that has Masterson facing 45 years to life in prison for raping Carnell-Bixler and the two Jane Does, but because he was charged in criminal court the women were given a protective order against Masterson, and they have special protections under Marsy’s Law as victims of sexual assault.

Forcing them into an arbitration proceeding with Masterson — who has indicated that he does plan to participate — would violate the rights these women have under California’s constitution, they argue, and they are trying to convince the appellate court that this is an extraordinary situation and a novel one. And another layer also makes it unique, they argue, that former members of a religion are being told they have to participate in what amounts to a religious ritual in the organization they have left behind.

Are rape victims protected against being forced into a so-called religious services arbitration with their perpetrator and his agents during the pendency of the criminal case where A) the criminal court issued a protective order against the perpetrator and B) the California Constitution guarantees against the harassment of crime victims? These issues warrant review to determine the proper analysis of the First Amendment right to freedom of religion, including the right to exit a religious organization, and petitioners’ rights under Marsy’s Law while criminal proceedings are ongoing in the context of “religious services arbitration agreements” drafted and imposed by a religious institution.

It’s certainly an unusual situation, but enough to make the appellate court get involved? Let us know what you think the odds are that this petition succeeds.

Meanwhile, the fifth plaintiff in the lawsuit, Bobette Riales, was never a Scientologist, so the arbitration decision didn’t affect her. As we said earlier, the fate of her part of the lawsuit is scheduled to be decided on March 8, when Judge Kleifield will decide whether her part of the suit should be put on hold or can proceed without the others.

SOME OF OUR PAST REPORTING ON THE MASTERSON CASE

March 3, 2017: LAPD probing Scientology and Danny Masterson for multiple rapes, cover-up
March 8, 2017: Danny Masterson: Victim C gets support from a veteran actress
March 11, 2017: Scientology made Danny Masterson’s Victim B search past lives to explain being raped
May 9, 2017: Masterson hires Michael Jackson criminal defense attorney Tom Mesereau in rape probe
Nov 2, 2017: Read the threatening letter Danny Masterson’s attorney Marty Singer sent a victim’s husband
Nov 26, 2017: EXCLUSIVE: Scientology interrogated Danny Masterson and accuser, didn’t notify LAPD
Feb 14, 2018: PROSECUTORS PREPARE CHARGES CARRYING LIFE SENTENCE FOR DANNY MASTERSON

Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Apr 27, 2018: Strange days for a woman accusing Danny Masterson of rape — and for her rocker husband
July 8, 2018: Masterson witness fears for safety as investigation drags on and on
Nov 30, 2018: LEAH REMINI: Los Angeles DA Jackie Lacey, do your job already
Aug 14, 2019: RAPE ACCUSERS SUE DANNY MASTERSON, CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY, AND ITS LEADER
Jan 22, 2020: Cedric Bixler-Zavala blames Scientology for poisoned dog he had to put down yesterday
Feb 3, 2020: Here’s Scientology actor Danny Masterson’s legal response to his rape accusers
Feb 10, 2020: Another dog poisoned: Bobette Riales says harassment worse since suing Scientology
Feb 26, 2020: SEVENTH victim comes forward to LAPD accusing Scientology actor Danny Masterson
Feb 29, 2020: Amended complaint filed against Danny Masterson with new stalking allegations
March 14, 2020: Danny Masterson’s victims speak out in sworn documents in lawsuit against Scientology
Masterson: Drop me from Scientology lawsuit if the ‘Jane Does’ won’t name themselves
June 17, 2020: SCIENTOLOGY CELEB DANNY MASTERSON CHARGED ON MULTIPLE RAPE ALLEGATIONS
June 19, 2020: Records show that Danny Masterson is a woeful Scientologist — would he turn on the church?
June 23: 2020: The key thing about Danny Masterson’s ‘DJ Donkey Punch’ nick is why he stopped using it
Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Sept 30, 2020: Could Danny Masterson’s odd legal fight over his Hollywood house endanger his freedom?
Oct 11, 2020: Danny Masterson asks to halt civil lawsuit while criminal case is ongoing, as expected
Oct 12, 2020: Bijou Phillips on her husband Danny Masterson: A macho ‘Strong Island’ guy
Oct 16, 2020: Danny Masterson ‘accidentally’ outs Jane Doe accuser after judge told him not to
Nov 16, 2020: Judge in Danny Masterson lawsuit doubts Scientology ‘arbitration,’ sets hearing
Nov 19, 2020: Danny Masterson takes another expensive and futile swipe at his criminal charges
Dec 1, 2020: If the feds are sniffing around, they might look at Danny Masterson’s besties
Dec 4, 2020: WHOA! Scientology to Judge Kleifield: Wrecking human lives IS our ‘commerce’
Dec 18, 2020: Jane Doe #1’s own attorneys flubbed and ID’d her and her IP address in court documents
Dec 24, 2020: Letter shows Scientology gave Jane Doe #1 permission to sue Danny Masterson in 2004
Dec 31, 2020: MASTERSON ACCUSERS DENIED RIGHT TO TRIAL, FORCED TO ‘RELIGIOUS ARBITRATION’
Jan 2, 2021: Worst part in the Scientology ‘arbitration’ ruling? Danny Masterson can participate.
Feb 11, 2021: Gretchen Carlson slams Danny Masterson and Scientology ‘arbitration’ to Congress

Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});——————–

“The gross divisional statistic of HCO is letters out and letters in. Why? Because the Existence of an org is real to the public mainly by writing in and getting answered. The volume of letters out and letters in is wholly in the ability of HCO to control. After all, it is the HUBBARD COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE. When letters don’t go out in volume, the public and field don’t know the org is there. When letters come in and aren’t answered then the public jolly well knows the org isn’t there and gets ARC Broke about it as well! You can advertise. You must send out mags and these also say the org is there. But that personal communication to Joe, Joe’s reply and answering Joe is vital vital vital for Joe now knows you’re there.” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 24, 1966

——————–

“ANCHOR: We will be at anchor until we leave Thursday evening. We will cut short our stay in the next port, arriving there the 26th and departing the 1st of March, giving us only 4 days there. This lets us take part in some celebrations in the port after next. Webspread will be very pleased — if he ever comes back.” — The Commodore, February 24, 1971

——————–

“I have to say at this point I am wondering what a clean 10-year run of the Bridge as LRH intended and particularly the OT Levels might do for this planet and Scientology’s reputation. Imagine no quickie grades, allowing the PC to have his wins, correctly calling F/N’s, Ethics used to help rather than control or punish, attention to people rather than stats, OT levels where you don’t return home broke or ill, willing to take calls in the evening because you know it’s your Reg and friend down at the Org who is looking out for you and you know it. In the background of my mind the song ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon is playing. Imagine theta too.”

——————–

Advertisement(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

1997: In preparation for next week’s protest in Clearwater, members of Scientology’s OSA began calling on a.r.s participants this week. From Maggie Council: “I got mine on Tuesday. I didn’t particularly want to talk to Bennetta Slaughter, who claimed to be Lisa McPherson’s best friend, but I spent a few minutes on the phone with her. It was the things she didn’t tell me that bothered me. Like that she also was Lisa’s boss at AMC Publishing in Clearwater. Like that she had been sent to ‘handle’ me, to convince me not to attend the candlelight vigil. And it bugged me that, for someone who just lost her best friend, she was more interested in dead-agenting Lisa’s family than finding out what really happened to her friend, amid all the contradictions. She didn’t tell me anything substantial, anything that could be independently verified, or anything to make me wonder anything other than why she was wasting my time telling me all this. I felt sorry for her. OSA has given her a tough job and I don’t think she’ll succeed.”

——————–

SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks

“I seem to recall that a fear of heights is an engram caused by the thetan-occupied clam remembering being dropped by a seagull.”

——————–

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 March 2.
— 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:
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs.
— 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.

——————–

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.

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.

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] DRONE FLYOVER: Saturday’s Scientology ‘Ideal Org’ opening in Ventura, California
[TWO years ago] In Scientology, every dollar you own is under constant attack
[THREE years ago] Scientology fires back at the Garcias, but reveals absolutely bonkers ‘arbitration’ instructions
[FOUR years ago] Whale watching, 2017 edition: Who’s keeping Scientology from sinking?
[FIVE years ago] Monique Rathbun is on the clock at the Texas Supreme Court, and more in our legal roundup
[SIX years ago] New government release contains a surprise: L. Ron Hubbard flunked out of high school, too!
[SEVEN years ago] Monique Rathbun files motion for contempt against Scientology defendants
[EIGHT years ago] OSCAR NIGHT LIVE-BLOGGING: Scientology on the Hot Seat with John Travolta and ‘The Master’
[NINE years ago] Scientology on the High Seas: Hubbard Welcomes the New Meat!

——————–

Scientology disconnection, a reminder

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 2,222 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,726 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,246 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,266 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,157 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,464 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,332 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 3,106 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,910 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,226 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,792 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,711 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,879 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,460 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,721 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,759 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,472 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,997 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 352 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,527 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,078 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,227 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,547 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,402 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,521 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,877 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,180 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,286 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,688 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,560 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,143 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,638 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,892 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,001 days.

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on February 24, 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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Published on February 24, 2021 04:00

QAnon patriots left bewildered by a Supreme Court that keeps letting them down

[The old guard: Nutty Ted Gunderson]

Some links to Q-related items today…

Patriots wrestled with the Supreme Court letting them down once again.

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Here’s a court strategy: “My friend is an idiot.”

“My friend is an idiot.”

A longtime buddy of Jessica Watkins asked a judge to release her pretrial, saying Watkins was "brainwashed by those deeply entrenched in conspiratorial beliefs” and the her "feelings outpaced her brain." pic.twitter.com/N9BZxC1dA6

— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) February 23, 2021

Countering extremism maybe isn’t so easy.

Characterically great episode of @onthemedia this week on the techniques and challenges of countering violent extremism.

"Deradicalization" is a worthy project that offers some proven tactics, but it has a complicated and checkered history.https://t.co/VTRf2WtX4w

— Travis View (@travis_view) February 22, 2021

Ted Gunderson? Whoo boy, we have our own experience with that nutball…

When people talk about precursors to QAnon, more mention might possibly be made of Ted Gunderson, a high-ranking FBI agent who after he retired got involved in variety of anti-government conspiracy theories, some of which had QAnon-like notions. https://t.co/d5e1dxRCQA

— Mark Pitcavage (@egavactip) February 22, 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 February 23, 2021 at 9:30

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on February 23, 2021 06:33

Gary Beeny, 1949-2020: Scientology figure in notorious takeover of anti-cult group

We learned yesterday that Gary Beeny died last June. An OT 8 Scientologist, Beeny is a notable figure in Scientology history for his role in one notorious church operation: The takeover of the Cult Awareness Network, which people to this day cite as one of Scientology’s most sinister episodes.

CAN was for years an effective force in warning parents about organizations like the Church of Scientology, which is why Scientology put so much effort into destroying it. The saga goes back to the mid-1990s, when Scientology recruited a young Christian man named Jason Scott to sue CAN and deprogrammer Rick Ross for holding him against his will in a Washington state hotel room.

Ross had been hired by Scott’s mother to try and talk him out of the controlling Christian church he was a part of. But Scott managed to get away, and then was recruited by Scientology and its attorney Kendrick Moxon to sue Ross (and CAN, for referring Ross to Scott’s mother). The $5.2 million judgment was mostly borne by Ross, but enough was CAN’s responsibility that it bankrupted the organization, and Scientology then bought CAN’s assets in a bankruptcy sale.

In an excellent 1999 story, our old New Times Los Angeles colleague Ron Russell described what happened next after Gary Beeny convinced Jason Scott to sell him his court judgment:

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The ultimate indignity for the anti-cult crusaders occurred earlier this year in a Chicago courtroom. Already having vanquished CAN, appropriated its name, and moved its offices from Illinois to within blocks of Scientology headquarters in Hollywood, lawyers with ties to the church moved to take possession of 20 years’ worth of CAN’s highly sensitive case files. Filling more than 150 boxes, the materials contained names, addresses, and detailed information on thousands of people who had turned to CAN for help in rescuing their friends and relatives. The list of organizations targeted by the old CAN read like a who’s who of fringe culture. Among them were the Ku Klux Klan and the Aryan Nations, dozens of obscure fundamentalist and evangelical Christian groups, the Church of Satan, the Unification Church of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon, followers of political extremist Lyndon LaRouche, and, of course, the Church of Scientology.

A judge had earlier excluded the materials from the bankruptcy liquidation, ordering that they be held in storage while the former CAN’s officers sought court protection to keep them out of the hands of its enemies. Bankruptcy judges are often leery of turning over the assets of one group to another, especially where rivalries exist. But Scientology lawyers appear to have devised a strategy to get around the problem. By purchasing the judgments against the penniless CAN, a Los Angeles man named Gary Beeny had become the bankrupt organization’s chief unsecured creditor. And so it was to Beeny that a judge in May awarded ownership of the files, the last vestige of CAN’s once-abundant resources. Beeny is a Scientologist, according to sources and The American Lawyer magazine. And in short order he transferred custodianship of the files to a Scientology-backed group, the Foundation for Religious Freedom [which is listed in an agreement with IRS as a Scientology entity]. The foundation had already become the entity officially licensed to operate the new CAN after another Scientologist, Steven L. Hayes, of Los Angeles, bought the logo and other appurtenances. In fact, the lawyer who represented Beeny was none other than Scientology attorney and high-profile spokesman Kendrick L. Moxon [an unindicted co-conspirator mentioned in a federal indictment that sent 11 Scientologists to prison]. He is the same lawyer who represented Jason Scott in the case that led to CAN’s bankruptcy. (Scott now says he was used as a pawn of Scientology and has disavowed Moxon.)

Beeny not only played his part to get CAN’s sensitive files into Scientology’s possession, he went on to complete OT 8 in 2004 to reach the top of Scientology’s “Bridge to Total Freedom.” And he continued to be such a loyal soldier for Scientology leader David Miscavige, he was called upon a few years ago to provide a video testimonial for a website that lavishes praise on the church leader.

We chose a still from that brief video above, and here’s what Beeny says in it:

There are two people that I hold in the highest regard you really could hold anybody, and that is our Founder, Mr. Hubbard, and David Miscavige. There are just certain people you just don’t know how they do what they do. How they have the confront they have, how they have the will they have, the integrity, the ability to create. It is something that is hard to describe, unless you’ve been able to see, in my case, this whole 44 years and what’s happened and what he has done to bring us to where we are today. You know, I have all the respect in the world for him.

He is a beloved figure, because we all get it. We all do understand what he has had to do personally to see this through, to see all of this occur, all of the advancements in the technology, all of the recovery of technology, all of the buildings, all of the expansion, the strategy. We know who’s doing this. We know who has the vision. We know who’s carrying the torch specifically for our Founder. And this gentleman is doing it in a way that is really remarkable, it is awe-inspiring and it’s something that, on the planet in the history of the world, is not going to be forgotten.

At a memorial event held in Los Angeles last June by Beeny’s family and friends, references were made to his dying “unexpectedly,” but there’s no mention of a cause, so we’re not going to speculate. Video of the event was filmed by Scientology celebrity Lynsey Bartilson, and oldtime Scientology watchers will no doubt find it extremely interesting to see that among the speakers at the event was one of Beeny’s closest friends, a man named Joel Phillips…

Yes, that Joel Phillips, who for many years operated one of Scientology’s most notorious websites for smearing its critics, “Religious Freedom Watch.”

Phillips stopped updating his site around 2005, but we’re sure some of the people who were slimed by his website have not forgotten him.

As for Beeny, Scientology’s publications show that he was still plugging away as recently as 2019, when he completed the Super Power rundown at the Flag Land Base in Clearwater, Florida.

Naturally, the public didn’t hear anything at all about his death last year from the church itself, despite the loyalty he had showed to the organization whenever it needed him.

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——————–

Leah Remini podcast: Your proprietor

Says Mike Rinder: “Leah and I talk to our old friend Tony Ortega this week. Tony has been reporting on Scientology for decades and as anyone who reads this blog likely knows, he writes pieces every day relating to Scientology at the Underground Bunker. This is the most complete repository of reporting on Scientology anywhere….We cover a lot of ground from the legal cases to the Fair Gaming of him and his family. We discuss Tony’s book about the amazing Paulette Cooper, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely (if you have not read it, I highly recommend it).” Thanks, Mike!

——————–

“The reactive bank is a thing. It’s got sort of mushy looking electronic masses and it’s got pictures and locks and other things associated with this, it is a thing. Well, the physical universe and the remaining dynamics, of course, are themselves a thing. And that’s what we mean when we say our universe and the other fellow’s universe and everybody’s universe. There were three universes, if you can remember rightly. Well, that apparently is very true, there are apparently three universes, but we were speaking of the reactive bank as meaning one of those universes where, as a matter of fact, that’s a little bit of a curve in the line. It turns out that there was his universe, you know, his brick walls, and we’re not sure right now whether or not they’re his brick walls and everybody’s brick walls or only his brick walls, or exactly what’s the status of these brick walls, because we’re right up a bunch, right up against the ability to disintegrate matter, all these various phenomena that — a yogi has been known as a good yogi if he could, you know, something or other, if he could levitate, you know, you’ve heard all these tricks and nonsense pieces and that sort of thing. Kid game stuff. This is the level you’re looking at. You see?” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 23, 1965

——————–

“RECRUITS: We appreciate all the new recruits. You are very valuable to us. It permits older hands to move up. In your turn if you do a good job, you will also be moving up in your time. You are expected to do the job assigned well and raise its stats. You are expected to complete your AB, SS I, SS II and Mission School during your study time, which should be about 2.5 hours a day during one or another of your study periods.” — The Commodore, February 23, 1971

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——————–

“According to L. Ron Hubbard, the Marcabians would have arrived to Earth in 1983. The first thing the Marcabians would have done is to take over the Church of Scientology. Captain Bill Robertson described later how this was done with the help of the Government of the United States of America.”

——————–

1996: A first-hand account from the Apollo was posted this week which counters the claim by Scientology spokesman Andy Milne that calling Hubbard a “nuclear physicist” on the cover of the book All About Radiation was invented by book editor Lauren Sullivan. Neal Hamel responded with his own remembrance: “Andy, I was on Flag with Hubbard, something you did not have the opportunity to do. While I was there, Laurel Watson was there. I observed an incident with Laurel where she was preparing a book cover for a new release of one of Hubbard’s books. He read her the riot act for a mistake she had made on a book cover (I forget which one). I remember her coming down the ship’s corridor in tears and quite upset. Hubbard dictated every damn word on the book covers that were released. He also specified and approved the cover art. Your story simply has no credibility.”

——————–

SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks

“‘Ness is More.’ It’s Hubbard’s version of his favorite book ‘1984.’ Reduce the language down to its most base level and you can control what people think and it also separates them from the rest of society. Hubbard was already fairly knowledgeable about mind control techniques and hypnotism before he wrote Dianetics, so I don’t know why anyone would think his specific control techniques were by accident.”

——————–

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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 March 2.
— 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:
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs.
— 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.

——————–

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.

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.

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] For once Scientology gives up on Ideal Org, settles for a fancy ‘mission’ instead
[TWO years ago] Leah Remini pays for vexing Tom Cruise with Scientology’s ‘Truth Rundown’
[THREE years ago] Laura DeCrescenzo fires back at Scientology’s desperate new federal court gambit
[FOUR years ago] Scientology’s Celebrity Whisperer: An inside account of life in the fame-obsessed church
[FIVE years ago] Scientology tried to suppress this video, and that’s why you’re seeing it here today
[SIX years ago] Scientology Australia spills its guts, and you can thank Bryan Seymour and Nick Xenophon
[SEVEN years ago] Five things to watch for in today’s first Scientology wedding in the UK
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology Mythbusting with Jon Atack: Fair Game!
[NINE years ago] Scientology Demands the Right to Employ Slaves in Australia While Getting Puff Pieces in DC, Florida

——————–

Scientology disconnection, a reminder

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 2,221 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,725 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,245 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,265 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,156 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,463 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,331 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 3,105 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,909 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,225 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,791 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,710 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,878 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,459 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,720 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,758 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,471 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,996 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 351 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,526 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,077 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,226 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,546 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,401 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,520 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,876 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,179 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,285 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,687 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,559 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,142 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,637 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,891 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,000 days.

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on February 23, 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

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on February 23, 2021 04:00

While patriots hold the line, more probes into Flynn, Jones, and other fanners of the Q flame

Some links to Q-related items today…

Just some of your neighbors praying for a violent military takeover…

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In Texas, meanwhile, the snow smells funny…

Sacré bleu!

QAnon has become a top US export — and things are so bad in France that the government has ordered the police to prepare a report after a spike in alerts about the cult in recent weekshttps://t.co/hgkF6PmjpN

— David Gilbert (@daithaigilbert) February 22, 2021

From Bernie to Q.

Nate, a school psychologist, says his 70-yr.-old mother canvassed for Bernie Sanders in 2020 before becoming a QAnon follower. “She's not a crazy person. She's a very bright person. But this thing happens in a million little paper cuts.” https://t.co/UuRBU6B0Jt pic.twitter.com/PTlfTBGOHt

— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) February 22, 2021

When Facebook was promoting Alex Jones and QAnon together

As authorities investigate Alex Jones for possible ties to the insurrection & as QAnon helped instigate the insurrection, a reminder that Facebook featured Alex Jones pushing QAnon as a "featured post" on a Trending topics page — back in January 2018. https://t.co/fbz9g5upbD pic.twitter.com/fuoZSbfzxb

— Alex Kaplan (@AlKapDC) February 21, 2021

The deep dive on Michael Flynn and QAnon…

I’ve got some guest lines in this extremely thorough dive into former Trump NSA Mike Flynn’s flirtation with conspiracy theorists.

“Michael Flynn’s Wild Ride Into The Heart Of QAnon” via ⁦@nickrobinsearly⁩ https://t.co/ejWmiaRvda

— Jared Holt (@jaredlholt) February 21, 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 February 22, 2021 at 9:15

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Published on February 22, 2021 06:16

When Scientologists talk Scientology, we all benefit from it

We really miss the days when Dave would send out a new copy of International Scientology News that came packaged with a CD of goodies, including a new testimonials video. Those were good times.

One of Scientology leader David Miscavige’s biggest initiatives was in 2007 when he re-issued L. Ron Hubbard’s books in new packaging, called them “The Basics” and basically forced every Scientologist to fork out about $3,000 per set in order to have new copies of books and lectures they probably already had. It was a bald-faced money grab that helped accelerate the mass exodus of members leaving the church at that time, and for those who didn’t leave, if you weren’t being pressured to buy sets of the Basics you were being pressured to help market and sell them.

As a result, for several years Miscavige put out a series of pulse-pounding videos set to a thumping soundtrack that featured Scientologists going on and on about what a miracle it was to do the courses from these re-issued books and lectures. We’ve posted several of them over the years, and we never fail to get a kick out of them. Leah Remini’s husband Angelo Pagan showed up in one of them. Erika Christensen was in another. They’re really magnificent and maybe the most David Miscavige thing ever.

Well, we noticed that one of these testimonials videos we hadn’t seen was tucked away on YouTube with almost no views and so we thought we’d share it with you and also repost the others. So get ready for the driving rhythm as Scientologists tell you how excited they are for the Golden Age of Knowledge!

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And here are some of the folks who stood out…

Is Olympics sportscaster Jim Lampley operating a Scientologist doll body? Like, the spitting image!

This is Andrea Doven. She and her husband Michael were close assistants to Tom Cruise, and they spied on him for David Miscavige, as we reported way back in 2012.

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This is actor Michael D. Roberts, known mostly for work he did in the 1970s.

And as promised, here are the other videos we’ve posted in the past. We really can’t get enough of them.

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“I criticize governments. That’s because at the present moment I’m not in any position whatsoever to completely smash them. I make no bones about this, see? This is not covert at all. Governments know what they’re doing, not cooperating with me, if they’re that smart. If they were very, very clever, they never would. And we’ll have to cut that off the tape, you see. But at the present moment it’s not that I’m in a position to, but it just doesn’t fit the cards to make nothing out of all national governments, that’s all. It just isn’t in the cards at the present moment.” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 22, 1962

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“Flag is crowded these days. Berthing is at a premium. New faces, new actions. This is the time when it is hard to wear one’s hat because the weaker points on lines have given away. This is the time that reputations are made and future trust inspired in those who wear their hats and do their jobs. In such times one begins to mark out those who can control their immediate environment and make it and those in it go right. This is the way future officers and promotions are scheduled. Reversely this is also the time one notices who couldn’t hold the line or who made a mess of it or who caved in. Those trying to get the job done note these things. The non production, the absent from post, the flaps as well as the order and high production people are noted. It all come straight eventually because those in charge note and support those who make it go right and mark down the others. The go-right guys eventually wind up in charge. Those who dodge their way and dog it eventually vanish off the lines. This is YOUR Sea Org. It is as good as you make it. THE SUPREME TEST OF A THETAN IS TO MAKE THINGS GO RIGHT.” — The Commodore, February 22, 1971

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“OT II signifies the first time you see the meter reading on stuff that’s not ‘you.’ It’s eerie and spooky as hell, in a strong shock-and-awe kind of way. Definitely a ‘HOLY SHIT!’ moment in eternity, winding back the dwindling spiral. I mean anyone can sit there and hold the meter cans for a million years and not see those kind of reads that appear when you audit THE EXACT PRECISE CHARGE LINE BY LINE. Is it real? Do we believe it? No one has to ‘believe’ anything. They just have to audit standardly (or it doesn’t work). As for ‘Is it real?’ well, the question is irrelevant. The fact that it works and releases tremendous charge and tremendous ability is what’s important.”

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2002: The National Enquirer reported that celebrity Penelope Cruz has called off her wedding to Tom Cruise, following her taking the Purification Rundown vitamin and sauna regimen. “‘Penelope has put the brakes on,’ revealed an insider. ‘Penelope is telling pals she feels she and Tom need time to resolve issues in their yearlong relationship,’ disclosed a source. One stumbling block is Tom’s attempt to quickly indoctrinate her into his religion. ‘He’s rushing her into an orientation in Scientology,’ said the source. ‘She even participated in a Scientology purification process — several days straight of intense cardiovascular exercise, high doses of niacin and sweating to drain toxins from the body.'”

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SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks

“Most of the junkies I’ve talked to told me the reason they did dope was because it made them feel ‘normal,’ not for the buzz. It made them feel the way they always imagined life should feel, even before they tried it. Unfortunately it’s an illusion, just like the ‘tech,’ and it ends up costing you everything. Hey, if they made Scientology and dope free just think of all the money and pain saved!”

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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 March 2.
— 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:
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs.
— 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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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.

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.

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] Scientology tries to keep high-profile Philly attorneys out of Danny Masterson lawsuit
[TWO years ago] First AME Church & USC both disclaim letter Scientology using against Leah Remini
[THREE years ago] Insider reports on Scientology’s grand openings in Silicon Valley and Salt Lake City!
[FOUR years ago] First look inside Tom Cruise’s Clearwater double penthouse — and Scientology is not happy!
[FIVE years ago] How the indoctrination of growing up in Scientology has changed over generations
[SIX years ago] Sunday Funnies: Scientology’s latest insider fliers for your dissection and delectation
[SEVEN years ago] Jon Atack puts it to Scientologists — did L. Ron Hubbard have the qualities of a leader?
[EIGHT years ago] Blogging Dianetics, Part 8: The Demon Seed
[NINE years ago] Scientology and the Occult: Hugh Urban’s New Exploration of L. Ron Hubbard and Aleister Crowley

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Scientology disconnection, a reminder

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 2,220 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,724 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,244 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,264 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,155 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,462 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,330 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 3,104 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,908 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,224 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,790 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,709 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,877 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,458 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,719 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,757 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,470 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,995 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 350 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,525 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,076 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,225 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,545 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,400 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,519 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,875 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,178 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,284 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,686 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,558 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,141 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,636 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,890 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,999 days.

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Posted by Tony Ortega on February 22, 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