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Scientology snags an elected official (and JAG!) for its Central Ohio ‘Ideal Org’ ceremony

[Miscavige and more accomplices]

With his second ‘Ideal Org’ grand opening in only a week, Scientology leader David Miscavige managed to round up more local shills to make speeches, and this time he actually snagged an elected official, something we haven’t seen in a while.

And not only was an Ohio state representative convinced to shill for Scientology, the Democratic lawmaker is also a Judge Advocate in the Army Reserve — he’s a JAG!

OK, Miscavige, you scored. And Ohio, are you really this cut off from the news about Scientology and its many controversies, including new lawsuits alleging child trafficking, kidnapping, stalking, and slander? Does Leah Remini’s program not play there?

Let’s take a look at this celebration of Dave and all that he stands for…

 

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First up on a very chilly day in Columbus was Adam Miller, the state representative for Ohio’s 17th House district. He’s an attorney, an Afghanistan war veteran (happy Veterans Day, by the way), he’s a colonel in the Army Reserve, and he’s a staff judge advocate in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps.

The dude’s a JAG, and yet this is the kind of judgment he has: “You have engaged school superintendents, principals and health officials to tackle drug abatement. You’ve engaged our City Block Watch program to safeguard our streets against crime and rights abuse. You’ve taken on leadership roles on civic boards for championing cleaner, sustainable communities. And it’s all been extremely well received. So yes, we cherish your ‘old-fashioned,’ Midwestern approach of neighborhood friendship, neighborhood responsibility and neighborhood commitment.”

Isn’t that something?

We sent Rep. Miller this message yesterday…

Rep. Miller,

You stood up to give a speech at the Scientology Columbus Ideal Org ceremony this week.

I’m a reporter who has covered Scientology for more than 20 years.

I know that you are a practicing attorney in the military, and so I’m wondering if it can be possible that you are unaware that Scientology and the man you stood with for a photograph, church leader David Miscavige, are currently defendants in multiple lawsuits that allege child trafficking, child sexual abuse, kidnapping, stalking, and slander.

Also, I wonder if you are unaware that a few years ago the Church of Scientology appealed all the way to the US Supreme Court in order to resist a court order to turn over the church files of Laura DeCrescenzo, who was suing the church. Scientology failed that appeal and had to turn over the files which showed that when Laura was 12 years old, she was working 90-hour weeks for virtually no pay (she was moved up to the 112-hour adult schedule when she turned 13), and that she was forced to have an abortion at 17.

Miscavige fought that lawsuit with cynical appeals and delaying tactics for nine years before finally avoiding trial by paying Laura a huge settlement on the eve of trial.

Scientology Caves: Miscavige settles forced-abortion case to avoid trial

This is the man you stood up for this weekend in Columbus. I’d really like to hear your explanation of why you went to the trouble of endorsing Scientology when so few elected officials will.

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Sincerely,

Tony Ortega
Editor
The Underground Bunker

We’ll let you know if he gets back to us.

 

 
Next up was Albert Long Jr., who Scientology claims is “Executive Officer for the Ohio School Boards Association Black Caucus.” But all we could find was that he was a member of a school board in a small district in Cincinnati. But whatever. He was up to the task of stroking Dave: “Many of our youth need a GPS for living. And we have seen the precepts [of The Way to Happiness] take hold of young men and women and not only show them the way, but the edges of the road. Those golden rules have changed how they feel about life. Where they would once refuse to go to school, they turn around and graduate. Where they committed crimes, today they have clean hands. And where they wanted to be gang members, they now want to be a part of their community. Let me tell you, that’s making soldiers of change who will never ever go back to the dark.”

 

 
Dr. John Howard was a standout at the University of Cincinnati who played for a year (1968-69) with the Harlem Globetrotters. He later co-founded the Greater Columbus Basketball Legend Association. Sadly, he’s under the impression that L. Ron Hubbard was a genius. “I may be biased, but I believe Study Technology is Mr. Hubbard’s most important discovery. When you look at his work, you can see the meticulous thought he put into it. You see how he examined what he saw and came up with real solutions. He was a genius so far ahead of his time. And we will see his humanitarian legacy roll right through the ages. So here, with this center for his teachings, this new Church of Scientology in the Midwest soul of America, we can continue to marvel at his thoughts, his inventions and his methods that are reigniting the human spirit.”

 

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Willie Burton was a first-round draft pick by the Miami Heat in 1990. He played four seasons there and also played in Philadelphia, Atlanta, San Antonio, and Charlotte. He’s primarily remembered for the 53 points he put up against his former Miami teammates one night in 1994 while with the 76ers. Scientology referred to him as “Former NBA star and president of Educated Stars of Tomorrow – Excel U Program.”

Like the others, Burton spewed the usual pap about Scientology’s fake front groups, predicting that the new Ideal Org will make inroads at nearby Ohio State University (it won’t): “Together we are helping Ohio kids make the right play. From now on, these kids understand that when they stare down the road of addiction, it is a dead end. And with your new Church, we are going to see so many more Buckeye students turning around before they hit that dead end. Which means today we are celebrating a whole lotta good right here in this city. So sure, people may ask me, ‘What was it like scoring 50 points in a single game?’ But now I am going to take the opportunity to ask you, ‘What was it like to build this Church as a center for change here in Columbus?’ Because this sure is an all-star feat, if ever I’ve seen one. And now, it’s time for you to take the limelight. Congratulations!”

Like last week, we encourage local news organizations to put an enterprising reporter on the assignment of getting each of these shills to sit down and disuss what they actually knew about Scientology, what they were told about it, and why they decided to help out David Miscavige in an event that the public and press was excluded from.

And wouldn’t it be fun for that reporter to ask each of them about a particular passage in the book Dianetics, to see how they might react?

Are there any news organizations in Central Ohio that care about the kind of organization opening this sort of facility there? We wonder.

Anyway, here’s some more views of the Columbus shindig…

 

 
Note Ohio native Nancy Cartwright in the middle of the rope-pulling ceremony…

 

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And here’s a look at the Commodore’s office, per regulations…

 

 
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Bonus items from our tipsters

Meanwhile, in Canada…

 

 
[We note that “Butterflies Are Free” was a 1969 play set in Manhattan and written by Leonard Gershe which was turned into 1972 movie set in San Francisco and directed by Milton Katselas, who became well known as an acting coach and Scientologist. So we’re not sure exactly what the caption here is referring to.]

 
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Source Code

“Actually, you can exteriorize a dog. You can process them. It’s very peculiar, but you can. They exteriorize as a mass. Did you ever run a preclear who exteriorized with a theta body? Hm? Well, you will someday. You will say, ‘Be three feet back of your head,’ and the fellow is there in a black shape with claws, or something of the sort. And then you have to exteriorize him from that black shape. Well, you’re already into the field of demonology when you say ‘Be three feet back of your head’ and you’ve got something which is a black energy mass which the individual conceives himself to be. You can’t see him. He’s invisible to you with your naked eye. But he’s not invisible to you with your theta vision. You can be 18 feet back of your head, leaning up against the molding strip, something like that; you say to this fellow, ‘Be three feet back of your head,’ and you’re looking at a demon….I’ve exteriorized a dog, much to his surprise. And pushed him back in again. Something on the basis of reaching in, grabbing hold of him as a theta body, pulling him out, and pushing him back in again. I’ve also exteriorized a coyote the same way. Coyote body lay there deader than a mackerel, while this process was going on. He’d been in full flight, and I reached from three feet back of his head and pulled him out of his body. All right. This may sound like a fairy tale to somebody who’s nailed down very solidly in Dianetics and is practicing man for the betterment of man. In Scientology we’re not very much interested in the betterment or the worsenment, and that is something which people have not yet completely isolated or noticed, and I haven’t mentioned very much in the field of Scientology. Get the idea? Scientology is an understanding of. That’s not necessarily a betterment of. You follow me?” — L. Ron Hubbard, November 11, 1954

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“Once the implant stations, matrix, AI interface, etc are cleared the next gradient of confront is the actual people who orchestrate it and our own participation by choice and decision and at knowing and willing cause-effect. Or in this scenario effect-cause at the bottom of the tone scale in total failure & the unknowable and a state of confusion, trying to figure figure it all out, with zero responsibility & accountability. The lowest and 1st echelon of beings to confront beyond and outside the theta/mest construct are the highly trained, Telepathic OT Programmers.”

 
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Random Howdy

“Sunny is definitely Bunker Hall of Fame material after this. As long as she doesn’t get caught doing ‘roids or shooting an associate down the road from her house, she’s a first ballot shoo-in.”

 
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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?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Michigan Catholic couple appears to open a Scientology drug rehab without a permit
[TWO years ago] ‘Scientology is dying’: John Brousseau on the decline of Int Base and fate of Shelly Miscavige
[THREE years ago] Leonard Cohen: This awful year strikes again with the loss of a transcendent genius
[FOUR years ago] Under oath, Narconon official lets slip that drug rehab organized just like Scientology
[FIVE years ago] Kim Poff fired by Oklahoma agency after stories (including ours) described Scientology dispute
[SIX years ago] SCIENTOLOGY SUPER POWER COUNTDOWN: Six Days to Blast-Off!
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology Sunday Funnies: Tom Cruise’s Son Connor Fights the North Koreans!

 
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Scientology disconnection, a reminder

Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 5,625 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 1,754 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,258 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,778 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 798 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 689 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 3,996 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,864 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,638 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,412 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,758 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,324 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,243 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,411 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 2,992 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,253 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,292 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,004 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,530 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,056 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,619 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,759 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,079 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 7,935 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,054 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,409 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,712 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,818 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,220 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,092 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,675 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,170 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,424 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,533 days.

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Posted by Tony Ortega on November 11, 2019 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, 1995-2018 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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