Last night, we kept checking Scientology’s main anti-Aftermath website obsessively. We couldn’t wait to see what kind of attack the church would make on the episode in Leah Remini’s series when she was finally taking on the “Where is Shelly?” question head-on.
Would they post something from Shelly herself, David Miscavige’s wife who vanished in 2005 and hasn’t been seen in public since 2007? Maybe even a video, proving that Shelly was well and wanted to be left alone?
But no, for the first time in a long time, Scientology didn’t post anything at all attacking the latest episode. Instead, they threw up yet another attack on Mike Rinder, in the same vein as so many previous attacks about an encounter with his ex-wife that is a total non-sequitur.
Instead of posting something at their smear site, Scientology sent a letter to A&E, claiming that Leah had previously revealed to Marty Rathbun that her search for Shelly was a cynical ploy for attention.
A&E quoted part of the letter at the beginning of last night’s show…
One day before premiere, counsel for David and Shelly Miscavige responded to the announcement of this episode with a letter that included the following:
Remini is a foaming anti-Scientologist.
Mrs. Miscavige has personally and repeatedly told law enforcement that Remini’s acts are abusive. Remini is unhinged and Remini and her cohorts should be prosecuted for knowingly filing a false “missing person” report. Mrs. Miscavige’s view is that Remini is intentionally engaged in provoking hate crimes against her husband and her Church.
Now, like Jason from the “Friday the 13th,” Remini is back at the same “Where is Shelly?” story that law enforcement repeatedly debunked.
(Excerpt from letter received from a lawyer representing the Miscaviges, 12/16/18)
We talked to Leah last night, asking her what she thought about the letter.
“It’s written like a five-year-old wrote it,” she said. “The lawyer is being told what to write by David Miscavige. I don’t believe any of those words came from Shelly. They came From Dave. So I’m gong to continue to ask, where’s Shelly?”
It’s kind of incredible that Scientology would continue to claim that Leah’s attempts to find Shelly Miscavige are a stunt, but not offer any proof of Shelly’s whereabouts or her condition.
And even better — the threat of a lawsuit over simply asking the question, why hasn’t Shelly Miscavige been allowed to go where she wants and to visit her family?
“They can continue to threaten me and Mike, but my answer is the same as it has been all along — cut the bullshit and bring your lawsuit against me. Come on. Let’s move this ball down the field,” Leah said.
“I do want to say also that law enforcement needs to act, and they need to act in a way that works for the people who are in cults. That’s either by convening a grand jury where Scientologists are made to understand the consequences of lying, or conduct a raid — but a raid with us, former members they knew and trusted.”
We have talked to other former Scientologists who say they have volunteered to go along with law enforcement to help guide them and talk to the people inside Scientology’s closed compounds.
“Law enforcment can’t just walk in and say, ‘Shelly, come with us.’ They need to bring people she knows and who will protect her.”
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Strong Irish news segment on Scientology
We were impressed by the care that went into RTE’s segment last night on Scientology in Ireland. (Full disclosure: Your proprietor makes a brief appearance.) And we were also pleased to see Victoria Britton appear, and to see the story of her son Kyle Brennan’s death handled so sensitively. We asked her what she thought of it.
“I did this interview because I truly believe it’s of vital importance that the public is educated regarding Scientology’s dangerous alternative medical practices. It is my hope that Kyle’s story can serve as a warning to those involved with this dangerous organization and to educate the public,” she said.
Get a look at it and let us know your thoughts on it…
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Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!
Scientology’s celebrities, from A to Z! Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Scientology’s ‘Ideal Orgs,’ from one end of the planet to the other! Help us build up pages about each these worldwide locations!
Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society!
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Now on sale: Twice the Miss Lovely!
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. What a pleasure it is for us to work with her on this after we wrote about her ordeal as a victim of Scientology’s “Fair Game” campaigns in our 2015 book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, which is also on sale in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions.
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THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] KID CORPS: Scientology wanted cadets as young as 6 dealing out justice to each other
[TWO years ago] Live-blogging Leah Remini’s special episode tonight: Get a load of these miscreants!
[THREE years ago] Witness: Compton scam rehab was a special Scientology project — how high does it go?
[FOUR years ago] Scientology’s Craigslist expert issues new instructions after so much ad flagging
[FIVE years ago] How Scientology ‘ethics’ creates your very own Truman Show
[SIX years ago] L. Ron Hubbard’s “Secret Lives” — A Channel 4 Classic
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Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 5,303 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 1,434 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 1,936 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,416 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 479 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 367 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 3,674 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,542 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,316 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,090 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,436 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,002 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 6,922 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,089 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 2,670 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 2,930 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 1,970 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,682 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,208 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,297 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,437 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 2,757 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 7,613 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,732 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,088 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,390 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,496 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 1,899 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 1,770 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,353 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 1,848 days.
Mary Jane Sterne has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,102 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,211 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on December 19, 2018 at 07:00
E-mail tips and story ideas to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We post behind-the-scenes 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 book, 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, 1995-2017 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2017), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…
BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
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
Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten 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…
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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
