Elisabeth Moss declines Valerie Haney’s nomination as arbitrator, says Scientology

Valerie Haney has finally heard back from Scientology’s “International Justice Chief,” a Sea Org official named Mike Ellis, who has informed her that Elisabeth Moss has turned down the opportunity to serve as an arbitrator in Valerie’s “religious arbitration.”

Valerie, a former Sea Org worker who escaped from Scientology’s secretive “Int Base” in 2016 by hiding in the trunk of a car, filed suit against the church in June 2019, alleging that she had been held against her will as an employee at the base, and also that she had endured years of intimidation, harassment, and libel once she decided to speak out about her experiences.

After her escape, Valerie went to work for actress and former Scientologist Leah Remini as her assistant, and Valerie was featured as the surprise subject to kick off the third and final season of Remini’s A&E series, Scientology and the Aftermath.

Scientology successfully derailed Valerie’s lawsuit when it convinced Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Richard Burdge in 2020 that while she was an employee and when she exited her job, Valerie had signed contracts which obliged her not to sue Scientology in a civil court, but instead to take any grievance to Scientology’s own internal brand of arbitration.

Valerie spent a couple of years trying to overturn Burdge’s order, but a new judge in the case, Judge Gail Killefer, found that Valerie needed to begin the arbitration process or risk having her lawsuit tossed altogether.

So on July 1, Valerie submitted a letter to Scientology formally asking the arbitration process to begin. The first step in that process is to select a panel of three arbitrators, who must all be Scientologists in good standing. Valerie is allowed to propose an arbitrator, Scientology selects the second, and then those two arbitrators choose a third. All of this is overseen not by the court but by Scientology’s “IJC,” Ellis.

So in that July 1 letter, Valerie, who has made it clear she objects to the entire process, selected as her proposed arbitrator Scientologist actress Elisabeth Moss.

It was a cheeky move, and we figured that Ellis would quickly tell her that Moss was unavailable. But for some reason it has taken him more than a month to get around to it. And he seems to claim, in the letter he sent Valerie this week, that Moss was actually asked to serve but turned Valerie’s request down. Here’s the language in the letter:

RE: ARBITRATOR DESIGNATION

Dear Ms. Haney,

I am writing to inform you that the arbitrator you designated to hear and resolve your claims in Scientology religious arbitration declined the nomination to serve as an arbitrator.

Please designate a new arbitrator to hear and resolve the matter within 15 days of the date of this letter.

Sincerely,

Mike Ellis
International Justice Chief

So Moss declined the nomination, Scientology claims. There’s no indication why Moss has turned down the opportunity to sit in judgment of Valerie’s claims that she has suffered harassment, including libelous claims about her sex life, from what she characterizes as a totalitarian organization. Is Moss simply too busy as another season starring as the lead character in the dystopic world of Gilead in The Handmaid’s Tale is premiering on September 14? Maybe so.

Moss has left little doubt that she is a Scientologist in good standing, and she’s been one of a very few of the church’s celebrities willing to speak out on behalf of the organization in interviews. In April, she told the New Yorker that Scientology was “misunderstood.” The article also quoted former Scientologist Geoff Levin, who had known Moss since she was born. He told us that he was disappointed that the magazine didn’t include some of the things he had told them about the actress.

As this process of selecting arbitrators develops, we will remind you that Scientology has only ever held a court-ordered arbitration one time in its history, when the 2013 lawsuit filed by Luis and Rocio Garcia of Irvine, California was similarly derailed by a Tampa federal judge, James Whittemore.

In that case, the disagreements between the Garcias and the IJC over selecting arbitrators was so contentious, and dragged on for so long — more than a year — that Judge Whittemore ultimately stepped in and took over the process himself, selecting all three arbitrators from a list of names submitted by Scientology.

The Garcias then went through with the arbitration proceeding in 2017, and Luis characterized it as a bad joke: The IJC did not allow them to have representation, they couldn’t record the session or get a transcript of it, they weren’t allowed to have smartphones with them, and the IJC disallowed 90 percent of the evidence they had brought. That lawsuit was about fraud, and the arbitrating panel awarded the Garcias about $18,000 of the hundreds of thousands of dollars they said had been taken from them through the church’s lies. Judge Whittemore accepted the ruling of the panel, but the Garcias refused to accept the award, and appealed Whittemore’s ruling forcing them into the arbitration. After three years, the Eleventh Circuit upheld Whittemore’s ruling.

So now Valerie is beginning down that same path, and so far Elisabeth Moss has turned her down.

 
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Technology Cocktail

“There is another state near that of Release. This is a Keyed-Out-Operating Thetan. At this time it occurs sometimes by accident in Power Processing, but I think I will be able to process a Second Stage Release to it directly some day. The pc is still a pre clear though a Keyed-Out-OT. This really isn’t a Thetan Exterior. The Thetan Exterior is quite unstable and can be attained below an ordinary First Stage Release. A real Clear is of course on the other side of the Reactive Bank and above all these states. It is completely stable. One needs to know how to audit to get there. A real Operating Thetan is of course a Clear who has been familiarized with his environment to a point of total cause over Matter, Energy, Space, Time and Thought….And of course nobody is going to go OT before they have been Audited, Released, trained and cleared, all of which are currently standard actions in Scientology today. We are definitely on our way.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1965

 
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Now available: Bonus for our supporters

Episode 9 of the Underground Bunker podcast has been sent out to paid subscribers, and Marc Headley returns to explain why he took the trouble to submit a lengthy response to a Scientologist’s nutty YouTube video. Meanwhile, we’ve made episodes 1 through 8 available to everyone, with Patty Moher on her career as a Scientology spy, Geoff Levin on Scientology’s celebrities, Pete Griffiths on running a mission, Sunny Pereira dishing secrets of Scientology’s Hollywood Celebrity Centre, Bruce Hines on the crazy life in the Sea Org, Jeffrey Augustine on recent Scientology court cases, Claire Headley exposing Tom Cruise, and Marc Headley on what it must be like for David Miscavige living in Clearwater, Florida.. Go here to get the episodes!

 
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Source Code

“This quarter of the universe, by the way, is suffering from an overdose lousy civilization. See, that’s what it’s suffering from. It apparently has been recently conquered in recent times (in the last few hundred thousand years) but those who were conquered had already been — their governmental action had already been set up for their own failure, see? They’d been set up be conquered by using, themselves, mental technology which made slaves. They implanted their own troops. Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho,

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

I was looking over the schooner just down the dock, a handsome three master. PR-wise their appearance ship wise and crew-wise is ideal. Our crew is not yet poshly uniformed and ship appearance could do with upgrading. But for all its sharp appearance their sailors get drunk ashore and dump rubbish in the harbour. One thing no-one will excell us in is the friendliness of our crew, our orderly behaviours and pride in duty. That’s our PR gem!” — Lt. Cmdr Diana Hubbard, August 21, 1970

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“Justin Craig has initiated from the start a black PR campaign against Captain Bill Robertson’s tech and as such is expected to be an OSA operative at the service of David Miscavige and should be investigated fully.”

 
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Past is Prologue

2000: Deseret News published an article on a new series of books by cult apologists. “‘Studies in Contemporary Religion,’ under the direction of Massimo Introvigne of Italy, offers a digest look at faiths ranging from the Baha’is to the Unification Church of Sun Myung Moon. The first volume in the series, an 80-page look at Scientology by J. Gordon Melton, will be out next week. A volume on the ‘Unification Church’ by Massimo himself will soon follow. The series is published in association with the Center for Studies on New Religions in Milan. ‘We’ll also be marketing them to religion professors for use in classes,’ he says. ‘There will be a new one every six months.'”

Random Howdy

“It was speed which was readily available back in his day. When Hubbard talks about ‘Pinks & Grays’ he’s most likely talking about Dexedrine and Phenobarbital or Librium.”

 
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Trial scheduled for October 11.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Last hearing was on January 18, referred to grand jury. Additional charges also referred to grand jury after January 5 assault while in jail.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay sentenced to 9 years in prison. Jeff’s sentencing to be scheduled.
— Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Readiness hearing scheduled for August 22 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Next pretrial conference set for September 19.
— Yanti Mike Greene, Scientology private eye accused of contempt of court: Found guilty of criminal and civil contempt.

Civil litigation:
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Complaint filed April 28 in Tampa federal court, Scientology moving to compel arbitration. Plaintiffs filed amended complaint on August 2.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Selection of arbitrators underway. Next court hearing: February 2, 2023.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Appellate court removes requirement of arbitration on January 19, case remanded back to Superior Court. Stay in place, next status hearing October 25. Scientology petitioning US Supreme Court over appellate ruling.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Third amended complaint filed, trial set for December 6.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: New trial ordered after appeals court overturned prior ruling.
— Chiropractors Steve Peyroux and Brent Detelich, stem cell fraud: Lawsuit filed by the FTC and state of Georgia in August, now in discovery phase.

 
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THE PROSECUTION OF DANNY MASTERSON

We first broke the news of the LAPD’s investigation of Scientology celebrity Danny Masterson on rape allegations in 2017, and we’ve been covering the story every step of the way since then. At this page we’ve collected our most important links, including our four days in Los Angeles covering the preliminary hearing and its ruling, which has Danny facing trial and the potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison.

SCIENTOLOGY: FAIR GAME

After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.

LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH

An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.

SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z

Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

 
Other links: SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks. 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] Why isn’t Scientology promoting the Covid-19 vaccines like it did hand-washing and masks?
[TWO years ago] The Top 25 People Enabling Scientology, No. 21: Parents who subscribe to ABCMouse
[THREE years ago] Has Scientology’s leader David Miscavige gone underground in the face of a legal onslaught?
[FOUR years ago] See the Scientology-like ad for Scientologist-owned ABCMouse, made by Scientologists!
[FIVE years ago] DOX: The full FBI file from its 2009-2010 human trafficking investigation of Scientology
[SIX years ago] Who are the clergy Scientology convinces to attend its ‘interfaith’ farces?
[SEVEN years ago] VIDEO: Scientology rehab salesmen — Just exactly the humanitarians you imagined
[EIGHT years ago] Jon Atack: The games L. Ron Hubbard played
[NINE years ago] MONIQUE RATHBUN FILES SUIT AGAINST SCIENTOLOGY OVER HARASSMENT
[TEN years ago] ISABELLA CRUISE CONSIDERS JOINING SCIENTOLOGY’S ‘SEA ORG’ AFTER BOYFRIEND SIGNS UP
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology Surf Report: Making Waves at the New York ‘Org’

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 21, 2022 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, 1995-2021 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2021), 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

 

Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast