Leah Remini’s new lawyer for Scientology lawsuit: The man who put Pellicano in prison

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Leah Remini has a new lawyer for her lawsuit against Scientology, and he’s a heavy hitter. A former federal prosecutor who put private investigator Anthony Pellicano in prison for wiretapping various Hollywood figures, he says he likes to bring down corporate Goliaths. Whoa. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

 
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Technology Cocktail

“Never give a ‘very well done’ on wins only. Give them on tech exactness. Got an Exam F/N not quite by the book. That’s only ‘well done.’ Got an Exam F/N and did it by the book is the ‘Very well done.’ We know the tech works. That’s no surprise. Perfect application by the Auditor is what the ‘Well Dones’ and ‘Very Well Dones’ are for. The moment a C/S loses sight of this point he has started his team on a downgrade that will wind up with everyone losing, org, auditors and pcs.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1971

 
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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 as Danny faces a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison. NOW WITH TRIAL INDEX.

 
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THE PODCAST: How many have you heard?

[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker [15] Jon Atack [16] Mirriam Francis [17] Bruce Hines on MSH

— SPECIAL: The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see

[1] Phil Jones [2] Derek Bloch [3] Carol Nyburg [4] Katrina Reyes [5] Jamie DeWolf

— The first Danny Masterson trial and beyond

[18] Trial special with Chris Shelton [19] Trial week one [20] Marc Headley on the spy in the hallway [21] Trial week two [22] Trial week three [23] Trial week four [24] Leah Remini on LAPD Corruption [25] Mike Rinder 2022 Thanksgiving Special [26] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part One [27] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part Two [28] Claire Headley on the trial [29] Tory Christman [30] Bruce Hines on spying [31] Karen de la Carriere [32] Ron Miscavige on Shelly Miscavige [33] Karen de la Carriere on the L’s [34] Mark Bunker on Miscavige hiding [35] Mark Plummer [36] Mark Ebner [37] Karen Pressley [38] Steve Cannane [39] Fredrick Brennan [40] Clarissa Adams [41] Louise Shekter [42] John Sweeney [43] Tory Christman [44] Kate Bornstein [45] Christian Stolte [46] Mark Bunker [47] Jon Atack [48] Luke Y. Thompson [49] Mark Ebner [50] Bruce Hines [51] Spanky Taylor and Karen Pressley [51] Geoff and Robbie Levin [52] Sands Hall [53] Jonny Jacobsen [54] Sandy Holeman [55] Mark Bunker [56] Trish and Liz Conley [57] Trish Conley [58] Alex Barnes-Ross [59] Alex Barnes-Ross [60] Alex Barnes-Ross [61] Alex Barnes-Ross [62] Alex Barnes-Ross [63] Alex Barnes-Ross [64] Tory Christman [65] Tammy Synovec [66] Dennis Erlich [67] Alex Barnes-Ross [68] Valerie Ross [69] Kat in Austin [70] Mark Bunker [71] Phil Jones

 
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Source Code

“Man, in the past, every time he got up along the strata of trying to evaluate data, would get up to some point and say, ‘Above this point it is just God, and God did everything from here on down and you can’t go any further than that.’ Then he would push back the frontier of knowledge just a little bit further and he would say, ‘Beyond that is God. God starts right in here,’ and he would use that to evaluate data. This is somewhat unworkable because there are not two data. That is why man was having trouble. But there was a second datum there all the time: there was the devil. This fits in with the double-data system. The basic unit of knowledge is two. You have to know there is a man before you can know whether or not a man can be aberrated or not aberrated. How do we describe the devil? The devil is evil and God is good. We can describe, then, and we can get some conception of magnitude, of comparative data and of value. It is very simple. ” — L. Ron Hubbard, July 16, 1951

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“All DOC members are to star-rate check out on HCO PL 22 February 1968 ‘Ethics Admin’ and FO RS 322 ‘The Hat of the Master”. Compliance to be effected within 24 hours. Twin checking between DOC members is preferred.” — The Commodore, July 16, 1970

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“As I progressed in Scientology training and auditing my own understanding of telepathy increased. A really interesting instance was just last night, as I watched my dog sleeping in her bed. She was dreaming and her body was twitching and she was even doing muffled barks in her sleep. I easily picked up and saw the dream she was having, could easily see the pictures and feel her reactions to them. I acknowledged her (not vocally), and she settled down and slept peacefully from then on. Never would I have thought I could read the thoughts (or dreams) of animals, but it is now becoming clear that OT is very different to what I had originally thought it was. I know what I know.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1996: Shelley Thomson posted a summary of a hearing in the Dennis Erlich case in her Biased Journalism newsletter. Scientology has hired Roger Milgram, a lawyer and noted authority on trade secrets. “‘There is one premise that I would like to question in your analysis, and that is with regard to the consequence of posting itself. It may be different than publication.’ The helpers nimbly arrange the first exhibit on the easel. The church paid for surveys of Internet users, at 1000 people per survey. 20 percent had some knowledge of Scientology. However, there is [Milgram said] no indication at all that the information which was posted is generally known. The survey is snatched off the easel and replaced with a copy of the California Uniform Trade Secret Act. ‘What I would like to focus on is the definition of trade secrets in your December opinion,’ Milgrim says. He quotes from the original statute from which the California statue was adopted: ‘a trade secret derives value from not being generally known to the public, or readily obtainable.’ ‘In the statute as adopted in California, ‘or readily obtainable’ was left out. So the statutory test is, being generally known. And one of the distinctions between the net and general publication is that the net is ephemeral..’ Milgrim informs Whyte. [Choked laughter arises from the ars part of the audience.] Milgrim claims that posts disappear very quickly, in fact, almost instantly; therefore (he says) they are not ‘readily ascertainable’ to the public. ‘The net is a hit and run medium.’ In lecture mode, Milgrim explains that publications–trade journals, science reviews–have a process. They have an editor. They have a process that requires that the works to be printed are not copyrighted. The net, he implies, is an *entirely different* situation. There is no control over what people post on the net; smoothly he works in the anonymous posts: ‘because we know that followers of Dennis Erlich…’ post the materials. Carla Oakley of MOFO now has her turn. The picture of ‘wholesale espionage’ and trade secrets published on the Internet is not the case. Plaintiffs claim to be seeking injunctive relief, but they are really attempting to silence a critic. The situation is not at all like Intel [the Judge’s example at the beginning]. Judge Whyte interrupts. There is a fundamental question raised in this case. ‘How do you lose a trade secret?’ He wants to start with Intel and work back. If it is posted to the Internet, a trade secret will be lost. This was not just done by Dennis Erlich; there have been multiple other postings. NOTS was posted in the last month. As for Internet postings, ‘they really are not ephemeral.’ A potential competitor would have had the opportunity to download and keep the material, so it does not matter whether the posts stay on the net for a long time.”

 
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Random Howdy

“If the government simply enforced the already existing laws we wouldn’t even be here.”

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

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Found guilty on two counts on May 31, remanded to custody. Sentenced to 30 years to life on Sep 7.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Next pretrial hearing May 31, 2024.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud.

Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Some defamation claims were removed by Judge Hammock. Leah seeking to amend her complaint.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to arbitration.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: motion to file new complaint, hearing on May 29.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration, on hold until appeal over new judge heard.
— Chiropractors Steve Peyroux and Brent Detelich, stem cell fraud: Ordered to mediation.

 
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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] Scientology and the Internet: Before there was Clambake, another OG made his mark
[TWO years ago] PODCAST: Bruce Hines on Scientology Sea Org insanity, and a Shelly story we hadn’t heard
[THREE years ago] How many Scientologists live in your town? Surprisingly, Scientology has an answer
[FOUR years ago] Scientologists mourn the loss of Kelly Preston, say nothing about former member Ben Keough
[FIVE years ago] It’s not hard to figure out where L. Ron Hubbard came up with Scientology’s space cooties
[SIX years ago] Saturday on L. Ron Hubbard Way — Scientology rolled out its sneaky focus on minorities
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology’s ‘Drug-Free’ influence-peddling plans for New York on August 1, in detail
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology’s appeal denied, trial date to be set in forced-abortion lawsuit
[NINE years ago] Leah Remini’s ex-Scientology friends rock TLC — and our interview with one of them
[TEN years ago] Camilla Andersson goes public after 29 years in Scientology’s inner elite
[ELEVEN years ago] Claire Headley Wonders, Was Kirstie Alley Doing Scientology’s “Doubt Formula?”

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on July 16, 2024 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, 1995-2023 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2023), 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

 

Tony Ortega at Rolling Stone