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Scientology tried to sell ‘Daily Mail’ on story she was a sexual abuser, Leah Remini says

 
Last week, Leah Remini made a remarkable post on Instagram about the death of her estranged biological father, George Remini, and how she had heard nothing about him being sick. She didn’t even learn about his death until after a funeral had been held.

In her post, Leah made only a partial reference to the way Scientology had used George Remini for a set of videos trashing his famous daughter, which took place after her A&E series, Scientology and the Aftermath, was renewed for a second season in 2017.

Most of the press coverage of Leah’s Instagram post was confused on that point: The press stories didn’t seem to understand why Leah said that Scientology had “dictated” the final years of her non-relationship to him, and some of the stories allowed Scientology to trash her without any context of how the church had used George for its dirty tricks against Leah.

Well, today Leah cleared up any confusion with a powerful lengthy statement she made at Mike Rinder’s blog.

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It was prefaced by a lengthy statement by Mike himself, talking about how Scientology had cruelly used his mother in its operations against him so that he was unable to see her in her final years, and how his wife Christie Collbran went through the same thing with her father, who was used by the church to make an accusatory video about her. What other “church” would not only rip apart families but then use them in this way to make P.O.W.-style videos denouncing former members with their use of their own loved ones? Said Mike…

Scientology pretends that family is important — just go to their website and they have all sorts of flowery language and quotes about the great importance they place on the “family unit” and that this is the “building block” of society. Like much else in Scientology, this is only true if it does not conflict with other more important things: making money, controlling people, or the biggest factor of all, destroying their so-called “enemies.”

Leah then described how, since her father’s death, she’s finally watched the videos he made in 2017 in full, and how much the videos disgusted her. George Remini was filmed with his much younger wife, Dana Connaugton, and Leah says they were both motivated not only by the money Scientology offered, but also by thoughts of attaining more personal notoriety.

 

[George Remini and his wife Dana in the first of the Scientology videos, 2017]

“If my father’s widow Dana Connaughton had an ounce of humanity in her, she would have contacted any one of us, his surviving four daughters to let us know he was sick and dying,” Leah wrote. “But she didn’t. She didn’t even inform us there was a funeral. No doubt she was concerned that if she had contacted us, she would cut off her only source of income from Scientology.”

Then, Leah dropped a bit of a bombshell. She revealed that Scientology had shopped a story to the Daily Mail that would have accused her of sexual abuse.

Recently, Scientology tried to sell a story to The Daily Mail Online accusing me of sexual and emotional abuse made by some alleged unnamed “sources.” Had I responded, the headline would not have been “Scientology attempts to destroy Leah Remini’s reputation with vague allegations,” but rather print what Scientology was selling with a “she denies it” tag at the end.

We have a feeling that if Scientology has tried to shop such a story to the Daily Mail, it has made the rounds elsewhere. Even after her A&E series has concluded, Leah is still the target of Scientology’s legendary “Fair Game” retaliation. Scientology just can’t help it — cruel, sordid attacks made by questionable sources, and accusatory videos made with the use of family members, is the kind of stuff that was baked into Scientology’s DNA by its founder, L. Ron Hubbard.

Leah added…

The fact remains that I will be left with those words so carelessly spewed in the Scientology hate videos as the last memory of my dad. And so are many others. It’s not enough that Scientology has brainwashed mothers, fathers and children to disconnect from family once a family member has left and spoken out against Scientology. They must be forced to suffer again, in that when they really lose that family member in death, they suffer another death. And one that is truly final. To be left with those hateful words is just…heartbreaking.

At the end of her statement, Leah implied that she may respond to Scientology’s attacks with litigation. Will she become the next plaintiff in the legal onslaught coming from the Brian Kent-Marci Hamilton team?

After this public statement by Leah, we think the odds of that just went up considerably.

Here’s Leah’s statement in full:

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I wanted to thank you all for your love and care, for sharing your own stories of loss, and your heartfelt messages and condolences.

Before the last few days, I had not watched the videos Scientology made my father do in full. It now makes me want to watch all the others they have done as part of their Fair Game policies to smear other whistleblowers and “enemies.” I plan to do so now.

I want to be clear: my father was never a Scientologist. Ever. He hated Scientology and called it a cult. But, he was mesmerized by the spotlight of fame more. He believed that doing slanderous, lie-ridden videos would bring him and his fame seeking-bride real TV appearances and ultimately money. He and his wife are indeed, hustlers.

And I believe it was his deranged wife who talked my father into making these videos for Scientology, still, he could have said no. But there was money in it for the both of them. If my father’s widow Dana Connaughton had an ounce of humanity in her, she would have contacted any one of us, his surviving four daughters to let us know he was sick and dying. But she didn’t. She didn’t even inform us there was a funeral. No doubt she was concerned that if she had contacted us, she would cut off her only source of income from Scientology

But it shouldn’t be lost on anyone that Scientology seeks people out — through culling ex-Scientologists’ “confidential Scientology counseling folders” to see who one might be estranged from, who one might have had a falling out with, who Scientology forced you to disconnect from when they were in. This is who they get to make these videos.

Recently, Scientology tried to sell a story to The Daily Mail Online accusing me of sexual and emotional abuse made by some alleged unnamed “sources.” Had I responded, the headline would not have been “Scientology attempts to destroy Leah Remini’s reputation with vague allegations,” but rather print what Scientology was selling with a “she denies it” tag at the end. Hubbard says to feed lurid, blood, sex, crimes on “attackers” to the press. This is precisely what they tried with this, and what they did earlier when they accused me, Mike and A&E of inciting murder and hate crimes.

This is all in accordance with Scientology’s Fair Game directives. Anyone who speaks out against the abuses and crimes of Scientology is designated an “enemy.” They will stop at nothing to silence us. They have done it for 5 decades.

….You are to immediately evaluate and originate a black PR campaign to destroy the person’s repute and to discredit them so thoroughly that they will be ostracized…

The defense of anything is untenable. The only way to defend anything is to ATTACK…

The law can be used very easily to harass, and enough harassment on somebody who is simply on the thin edge anyway… will generally be sufficient to cause his professional decease. If possible, of course, ruin him utterly…

This is correct procedure:

(1) Spot who is attacking us.
(2) Start investigating them promptly for FELONIES or worse…
(4) Start feeding lurid, blood, sex, crime actual evidence on the attackers to the press.

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Make it rough, rough on attackers all the way. There has never been an attacker who was not reeking with crime…

I have a new system worked out to knock them out no matter what they do.

We started telling them to investigate newspaper reporters who wrote against us…

They have a vulnerability already worked – several guys have lost their jobs over this. How could they be hurt – all you have to do is spot it, figure out how to cost them their jobs and make them lose it…

We must ourselves fight on a basis of total attrition of the enemy. Just go all the way in and obliterate him.

For a more complete rundown of how Scientology seeks to destroy “enemies” see Dealing with Critics of Scientology – the L. Ron Hubbard Playbook.

One might ask why in death would I choose to watch those disgusting videos? I don’t have a good answer. I guess I just wanted to really know what he had done and said as his last words to me.

I am beside myself with anger and disgust.

It’s one thing to tell partial truths, a truth in your eyes about someone said in anger intended to try to hurt them. It’s a whole other thing to be paid to lie, for an organization calling itself a church.

For Scientology to go out of their way to coordinate attacks – containing known and provable lies – in an attempt to discredit those speaking out against Scientology’s abuses is sadistic. It is of course justified by their Fair Game policies to destroy their enemies. That is the Scientology way – anything goes in their desperate attempts to stop the bleeding and continue to add to the billions they already have.

My father was anti-Scientology. He hated everything about it and L. Ron Hubbard too. But he loved the idea of being a star more and that was his motivation for these videos. My father and his vile wife both wanted to be in the spotlight. She is a failed singer and he just hoped for more TV appearances and perhaps a book deal to make some money.

Scientology thought they hit the jackpot with “See what Leah Remini’s father has to say.” I never bothered to respond and lay out all the sordid details of his true nature. I did tell some of his story in my book and I am sure the truth hurt. But, he was still my father. And though it was the truth about him, I didn’t want to engage with the nonsense as it would mean having to reveal all about him. I haven’t even begun to tell the truths about my father and neither have my sisters.

The press won’t cover “Leah Remini’s father is a paid liar for Scientology,” “Scientology offers money to attempt to discredit Leah Remini” or the true nature of Scientology and the thousands of hate-filled websites they have created on whistleblowers. They want a juicy headline with no repercussions. So it’s not worth it for me to give a story about this to the media. But more importantly, it wouldn’t stop Scientology from doing this to people in the future.

Neither the press nor the government has done its job exposing and ending Scientology Fair Game tactics that have crippled people’s lives. This has stopped victims from coming forward for fear of Scientology Fair Game.

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Fact: Scientology is hemorrhaging badly. Their business is declining in the wake of Going Clear, The Aftermath and so much other media coverage. Victims of Scientology and their Fair Game tactics are being exposed. People are growing stronger.

The fact remains that I will be left with those words so carelessly spewed in the Scientology hate videos as the last memory of my dad. And so are many others. It’s not enough that Scientology has brainwashed mothers, fathers and children to disconnect from family once a family member has left and spoken out against Scientology. They must be forced to suffer again, in that when they really lose that family member in death, they suffer another death. And one that is truly final. To be left with those hateful words is just…heartbreaking.

I implore those that are in, who might be reading this – you have this life to make things right: stop this bullshit of sacrificing your relationships for a cult that is destroying you and your family unit. Call your mother, call your sister before it is too late. Whether it’s Scientology, or any other extremist ideology, life is too short. It is not noble to shun your own child, it’s reprehensible. For Scientologists, they believe this is not such a big deal as they will find this child in another lifetime. Well, have you met your children, your mother, or father from an earlier lifetime in this life? No, you haven’t. Wake. The. Fuck. Up. Your children need you, your parents want to know their grandchildren and you are missing out on a life with them and you are robbing them of knowing some pretty great people.

Can you imagine having to answer your child when they ask this question?

“Why wont daddy see me?”

“Because your dad loves a cult more than you, honey”?

“Why can’t I talk to my grandparents? Well, honey, they believe if they talk to you, their eternity is at stake”. Insanity.

This article by Tony Ortega only touches upon just the tip of a massive iceberg of tragedy.

Scientologists: You know all that past-life stuff you were forced to run? Guess what you learn? Clear: You made it up (mocked it up) and on OT-8, guess what else you learn? You mocked it all up and none of your past experiences were you at all.

This is what you are sacrificing your life and your family for. This is what you are sacrificing your time to, and this is what is costing you hundreds of thousands of dollars

If there is an Eternity, Cause Over Life or being able to have full recall as L. Ron Hubbard promised you, where is he? Doing more research? Even though you know you have read where he said he has completed his research? Where is any person who has died since the inception of Scientology? Why are OT 8’s dying all the time? Did they miss the PTS/SP course data even though they were forced to retread and retrain it over and over? The truth is, you are not superhuman, you will not be able to be cause over your body, You cannot and will NOT heal yourself of cancer and other illnesses as they sell you when you reach OT 5. You will not have superpowers. You are not the super-elite. You will not be able to move things with your mind… it is all a scam. And why you think the e-meter works? This answer is found in basic books on psychology. What you believe is a “workable system” in the basic courses — thought up by L.Ron Hubbard – is exactly that: basic concepts that are either innate or learned in kindergarten… Do you really need Scientology to tell you that you should not take drugs? Not murder people? That everyone on the planet is bad and you have the technology to fix it? Well, look at the world, are you fixing it? All of your sacrifice? Look at the stats. Period.

You can do a lot of good in the world, but you need to start with your lack of confront of what’s really going on there. Do some research. You can go searching on the Internet. A church with nothing to hide wouldn’t forbid it and punish you for doing so.

Therapists, psychologists, life coaches, mentors, the Red Cross, grassroots charities — all of them do more to help people in one day than Scientology has done in 5 decades.

My therapist doesn’t demand that I disconnect from family, my therapist does not think I need to disconnect from my friends because they have different views than me, my therapist doesn’t demand that I see or talk to them every day and then track me down if I miss an appointment. My therapist doesn’t demand that I mortgage my home to pay for it — and it’s half the cost of sitting in front of an e-meter operated by a teenager.

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Real religions don’t break up families and real religions don’t have policies that demand the destruction of someone speaking out against their abusers.

And if there is an afterlife and a paradise to be found, do you truly believe that deserting your own child, mother, father, brother or sister… is a virtue that should be rewarded? You should think about that.

IRS, can you please grow some balls and see that this organization is using tax exempt money to silence victims from coming forward? That the millions of dollars they use on lawyers, hiring PI’s, creating hate websites with the intent to destroy ones reputation, cause them to go crazy in their grief and loss, all the thousands of URLS are all monies you are giving them to do so?

You are not winning, Scientology. You are only proving over and over again what the world now knows. You are a vindictive cult operating as a for profit business, pretending to be a religion.

The pain you have caused those in life and death is incalculable.

I am sure your videos make you smile, and the OSA team that put them together were proud to present them to the COB as “effective action” against a terrible Suppressive Person. You should know, it only motivates me more.

But for you Scientology believers — here is something your Founder said that you can keep in mind:

When a person finds himself committing too many harmful acts against the dynamics, he becomes his own executioner.

This is why the criminal leaves clues on the scene…

The criminal who leaves clues behind is doing so in the hopes someone will come along to stop him from continuing to harm others… he attempts to put ethics in on himself by getting thrown in prison where he will no longer be able to commit crimes. — L.R.H

Some have wondered why I haven’t sued the shit out of every person involved in making these rehearsed, poorly produced and staged libelous videos.

The simple but truthful answer is because I’ve been busy.

But I do have some time available now.

 
——————–

Source Code

“There is cyclical illness which is dictated in the various R6 implants. A fellow was forced to get sick at the age of five, followed multiples of five, and he’s supposed to get sick from this and from that, and from the other thing. Measles and, you know he’s supposed to have and that’s certain. They predict his health, in other words. When he’s fifty he’s supposed to something or other. What they’re trying to do is make a body cave in. See?” — L. Ron Hubbard, September 30, 1968

 
——————–

Overheard in the FreeZone

“Freezone is much less expensive. Average Class VIII charges between $100 and $200 an hour for auditing.”

 
——————–

Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!

[Alanna Masterson, Terry Jastrow, and Marisol Nichols]

We’ve been building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and we’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them. Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments.

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!

Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in our weekly series. How many have you read?

 
——————–

THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Scientology going ‘Ideal’ with drug rehabs too, and will replace an ailing clinic
[TWO years ago] Never before seen: Video from the first ‘LRH Birthday’ aboard the Scientology ‘Freewinds’
[THREE years ago] When L. Ron Hubbard briefly let down his guard and admitted Scientology was all a con
[FOUR years ago] JIM CARREY’S SCIENTOLOGIST GIRLFRIEND ON ‘SRD’ WHEN SHE KILLED HERSELF: FRIENDS
[FIVE years ago] Does a judge’s order in the Garcia fraud lawsuit suggest trouble for Scientology?
[SIX years ago] Meet the New Editor of Scientology’s Propaganda Magazine, Freedom!
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology Sunday Funnies!
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology’s SF Leaker Talks: We Ask Amy Scobee to Interpret

 
——————–

Scientology disconnection, a reminder

Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 5,583 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 1,712 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,216 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,736 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 756 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 647 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 3,954 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,822 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,596 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,370 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,716 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,282 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,201 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,369 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 2,950 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,211 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,250 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,962 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,488 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,014 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,577 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,717 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,037 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 7,893 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,012 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,367 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,670 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,776 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,178 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,050 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,633 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,128 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,382 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,491 days.

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on September 30, 2019 at 18:05

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, 1995-2018 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2018), 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, 14 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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