Scientology snubbed by Denver suburb after TV news asked about ‘proclamation’

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: With the Dianetics 75th anniversary coming Friday, Scientology has been looking for suckers to issue proclamations about the 1950 book. The church did manage to ensnare a couple of gullible small towns in its scheme. But one Denver suburb came to its senses just in time! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

 
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Technology Cocktail

“An assist is not a substitute for medical treatment but is complementary to it. It is even doubtful if full healing can be accomplished by medical
treatment alone and it is certain that an assist greatly speeds recovery. In short, one should realize that physical healing does not take into account the being and the repercussion on the spiritual beingness of the person. Injury and illness are PREDISPOSED by the spiritual state of the person. They are PRECIPITATED by the being himself as a manifestation of his current spiritual condition. And they are PROLONGED by any failure to fully handle the spiritual factors associated with them.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1978

 
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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

“I saw a little fellow once, about 110 pounds, pick up a grand piano and shove it out of a burning house. He never pushed a barbell in his life. Of course, when he got out on the lawn; he wondered who brought the piano out. He just produced enough energy at that moment and overcame enough gravity and threw enough postulates out the window so that the piano would dematerialize in the living room, and rematerialize in the front lawn. And he says, ‘I wonder who brought that piano out?’ Now, if he had arduously trained himself so as to eat Wheaties, why, he would have, of course, left the piano right where it was.” — L. Ron Hubbard, May 7, 1954

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“UK ENQUIRY: The ‘Findings’ of this enquiry have been handed over to Sir Joseph in House of Lords. This means very early publication. Past signs are that they will not be viciously unfavorable. We are busy working to handle any possible repercussion. It may be a week or so yet before they hit the UK press. This cycle is far from conclusive. We made a last minute breakthrough on the WHO that began all this and keeps busy hounding us. This breakthrough puts the initiative in our hands. Instead of trying to find out WHO has been hitting Scientology we now find we are moved right over, on target, of WHO is responsible for East-West upsets and the atomic war threats and the economic crises. Whetever the UK ‘enquiry’ says, the end of the war is well in view.” — The Commodore, May 7, 1971

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“There’s countless factions of Scientology out here in the field operating apart and if we continue this way, then divided we fall. That was by design as well because the SPs know we have THE most powerful tech that can put an end to them. There are tens of thousands of us Scientologists out here in the field and we need to get back together and form up into a Planet-Clearing machine that would make LRH proud. We need to audit this nonsense out and apply PTS/SP tech and get this world out of the soup it is in. LRH said that the purpose of the Sea Org is “To get in ethics on the planet and eventually this universe”. Didn’t happen. Why? Because we didn’t take him serious enough. So – once again we are the only way out for this planet. If we don’t form up and get organized now, we will have lost BIG.”

Past is Prologue

1997: Graham Berry, acting on behalf of Lawrence Wollersheim, asked the court in San Luis Obispo to appoint an independent executor for L. Ron Hubbard’s estate this week, replacing Scientologist Norman Starkey. The court rejected the request on an ex-parte basis, asking Berry to give Scientology 30 days to respond to any filing he makes. “Graham reported there were about 12 high-ranking RTC leaders that he was aware of, including the usual lawyers and OSA guys. They appeared panicky, livid and highly ‘enturbulated’ and his impression was that they were going to try to simply bully everyone and get the motion striken from the court records when it is introduced. The whole deal on the LRH estate fraud and skimming of money from it was a deep dark secret for a long time, and the recent panic about it is a reflection that the right nerve has been struck.” Scientology’s new “media office” issued a statement on the filings. “This is a transparent extortion attempt by copyright infringers. Everything alleged in this ex parte petition has been brought up in the past and thrown out by authorities — including the coroner in San Luis Obispo and the courts — as completely and utterly unfounded. Graham Berry and his client, Larry Wollersheim, have NO CLAIM whatsoever on Mr. Hubbard’s estate, and they know it. They have been making outrageous claims for two years attempting to extort millions of dollars from the Church. We are turning this latest matter over to the District Attorney to investigate for extortion, fraud and conspiracy on the part of Berry, his client and other ‘experts’ — all offering paid-for testimony. Graham Berry’s frivolous ex parte petition, as expected, was thrown out by the judge in San Luis Obispo earlier this afternoon. Additionally, the judge reprimanded Mr. Berry severely, warning that he would sanction him if he ever brought such an ex parte motion again. The Church will now take all appropriate and needful actions to put an end to such malicious and scandalous extortion endeavors as those perpetrated by Berry.” Graham Berry’s letter to Scientology lawyer Monique Yingling following the hearing included some of the startling facts that have not been widely known about the death of Hubbard and the status of his estate. Graham also commented on the strong reaction to the filings by Scientology. “[T]he Coroner’s report and the attached ‘Toxicology Report’ found traces of the psychiatric drug Vistaril in Mr. Hubbard’s blood stream and his own doctor, Gene Denk, stated to the Coroner that he had prescribed and administered a number of drugs to Mr. Hubbard which included Vistaril (a psychiatric drug usually administered in combination with other hypnotic, psychotic and sedating narcotics and restricted drugs) and that Mr. Hubbard also had a ‘long history of chronic pancreatitis’ which is primarily caused by alcoholism. Finally, I remind you of something else that I advised the Court. Something is very wrong when approximately 12 people turn up for a simple ex parte petition. Especially, when these people include senior church executives, a lawyer who flew in from Washington, D.C., a lawyer who flew in from Denver, Colorado, and expend such obvious effort and expense in trying to stop proceedings regarding a dormant estate, which they claim was properly administered, and then to request the Court that it strike the ex parte moving papers and prevent Mr. Wollersheim and Factnet, Inc. from proceeding with their request for substantive relief by way of regularly noticed motion.”

 
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Random Howdy

“Hubbard just took ‘astral projection’ and redefined it as ‘exteriorization’.”

 
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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, 2023. DA’s response to appeal brief due May 14.
— ‘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 12.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, convicted of fraud. Pre-sentencing conference was held April 4. Sentencing hearing scheduled for May 5.

Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Some defamation claims were removed by Judge Hammock. Judge Hammock’s ruling is on appeal. Leah’s appeal brief due June 3.
— 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. Judge Upindra Kalra’s ruling denying Scientology’s motion to strike is on appeal.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration, gets ruling to depose Jane Doe 1. Trial has been set for January 10, 2028.

 
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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] Here’s David Miscavige’s opposition to Jane Doe 1’s appeal of his sneaky legal maneuver
[TWO years ago] A Scientology childhood: Jon Atack talks to ‘Bad Cadet’ author Katherine Spallino
[THREE years ago] You just dropped tens of thousands on Scientology: Could you be any more excited?
[FOUR years ago] The nanny task list from a Scientology couple that is driving Twitter insane
[FIVE years ago] Tom Cruise in orbit: Why it makes sense for NASA to launch Scientology’s space cadet
[SIX years ago] JURY AWARDS $11 MILLION OVER DEATH OF SCIENTOLOGY REHAB PATIENT
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology celeb Joy Villa takes down her ‘testing the waters’ for Congress web pages
[EIGHT years ago] Even in Mexico, Scientology bullies people with hired muscle — but for now strikes out
[NINE years ago] Scientology’s hypnotic suggestion: What’s true for you is what’s true for L. Ron Hubbard
[TEN years ago] Guest post: 20 reasons the Church of Scientology is a cult and a fraud
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology’s plans for the KCET studios in Los Angeles finally taking shape?
[TWELVE years ago] OKLAHOMA GOVERNOR SIGNS LAW AIMED AT SCIENTOLOGY DRUG REHAB

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on May 7, 2025 at 07:00

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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