TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: As we’ve been taking a look at the connections between wealthy Scientologists and the White House, what timing for this new image. It’s some of Scientology’s most well known figures at Mar-a-Lago. Did these power thetans get the chance to meet with the president this weekend? [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“I have found some crew members are having stomach trouble. Do not take vitamins in transparent gelatine capsules. The capsule melts in the upper stomach and can give you what feels like a stomach ulcer— too full, burning, pain after eating. This is because the vitamin powder is dumped by the capsule when it melts into the upper area instead of the lower intestine as it should be. A coated tablet is the answer. It’s called ‘enteric (for intestine) coated.’ There are ‘enteric gelatine capsules’ made which dissolve an hour after being taken. You put vitamin powder in them. To handle the ‘ulcer feeling’ — pain or too full or burning — one takes 2 aluminum hydroxide tablets (one trade name is Maalox No. 2) (chewing them up) and a few swallows or a glass of milk every couple hours and in a day or two all should be back to normal — unless or course you continue to take harsh, fast dissolving pills!” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1980
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“The one thing by which the communist profits in Australia and Suid-Afrika are the laws against perversion. The state, of all means, is regulating how you are going to perform the sexual act. I think that’s very interesting. I’ve seldom seen any police officers in my bedroom. And I’m afraid if I did they’d have short shrift. Of course, I have had the people the police officers are supposed to restrain trying to crawl into my bedroom windows and a few things like that, you know, but that, of course, they wouldn’t be interested in. Now, what are they doing? They’re just trying to invent some new withholds, aren’t they? I think that’s fascinating, because the communist uses blackmail of this particular kind as a means of controlling heads of state. In other words, if the state itself lends its weight to punishment of withholds, see, it has just laid itself out to be crazy. Because now, anybody in the state can be blackmailed so as to overthrow the state, because the state will punish the overthrow or the withhold. Do you understand this, or any part of this?” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 20, 1962
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“LOCAL PROPERTY: I rode the motorcycle Mary Sue gave me for Christmas out to see some property we bought. Arthur Hubbard, my test rider and mechanic in chief, acted as guide on his bike. He took me way out in the green countryside on the excuse he didn’t know any other route to the property. We circled back and found the right place right on the edge of town. Anything for a ride. It’s a very nice property. Several apartments, 18 bedrooms on one upper floor, a dozen garages, a big buss garage, four classrooms and a gym, and a lot of other bits. Our sign is up and well lighted at night. Our caretaker is a very nice chap. The place is well built of stone and masonry, quite pretty in fact. We intended it for light manufacturing but have not put it to use as yet. We own quite a bit of property over the world. Will be acquiring more as well as some countries.” — The Commodore, February 20, 1971
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“According to LRH this is not so. Men are not created equal. According to LRH, there are higher order thetans and ‘puppet society’ thetans. In the Bill Robertson cosmology, there are Source Thetans, created thetans and several hierarchies of thetans. The spiritual world is not ‘democratic’.”
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2000: The proceeds from planned Battlefield Earth action figures have been identified as benefiting Author Services, a part of Scientology. From the New York Post on a party to launch the toys: “Scientologist John Travolta will hawk the action figures of ‘Battlefield Earth,’ the sci-fi movie based on the book by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Travolta, who plays the evil ‘Terl,’ is slated to appear Monday in the Trendmasters Showroom at 200 Fifth Avenue.” From Variety: “The most intriguing aspect of the toy line based on summer sci-fi epic ‘Battlefield Earth’ may not be the ‘Ratbastard’-spouting John Travolta doll. It could just be the millions of dollars the Church of Scientology stands to earn from the playthings. Though the church did not participate in the making of the Warner Bros./Franchise Pictures project, it was included in the merchandising agreement, according to Scientology spokesman Mike Rinder. Any deal for merchandising automatically includes Author Services, the agency that handles all of the works of late writer and Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. The toy assembly includes Strike Jets, Psychoblasters and Thunder Battletanks alongside 11-inch figures of Travolta as Terl, the villainous warlord. The Terl doll borrows Travolta voice snippets from the film, including these lines: ‘Exterminate all man animals at will,’ ‘You wouldn’t last one day at the Academy,’ ‘Man is an endangered species’ and ‘Ratbastard.’ Trendmasters, the company responsible for the line of toys, says these types of movie-driven toys can earn as much as $50 million in sales. Exactly how much will the Church of Scientology recoup from the toys? No one seems to know.”
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“All you need to do to strike spiritual gold is to tell the mutant killer apes with the over-developed brain stems that death is not the end and that they’re more than just another species of animal.”
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Sentenced to 30 years to life on Sep 7, 2023. Appeal now fully briefed, waiting for 2nd Appellate District court to set a hearing date. Masterson has also submitted a habeas corpus petition.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Pleaded guilty on Nov 10 to a 17-year prison sentence (eligible for parole in two to three more years). Awaiting transfer to state prison.
— Aaron Matthes charged for SA of child under 12 years old: OT Scientologist facing multiple mandatory life sentences. Next pretrial court hearing set for Feb 2.
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 respondent’s brief is due February 11.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ 15 days of arbitration completed, Val waiting for further word from the IJC.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson. Judge Upindra Kalra’s ruling denying Scientology’s motion to strike is on appeal. Appeal fully briefed. Motion to replace Jane Does’ AI-tainted brief denied by court. Awaiting a court hearing date.
— 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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Other links: The prosecution of Danny Masterson. Leah Remini’s Fair Game Podcast. Leah Remini’s A&E Series. Scientology’s Celebrities, from A to Z. Bryan Seymour’s suppressed series, 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] With Valerie Haney’s Scientology ‘arbitration’ unfinished, is her lawsuit on the brink?
[TWO years ago] Giving birth (shhhh, silently!) in Scientology: What is that really like?
[THREE years ago] TRANSCRIPT, PART 2: Experienced auditor is taped talking about E-meter, the OT levels
[FOUR years ago] What Scientology’s happy propaganda doesn’t tell you about its Florida ‘spiritual mecca’
[FIVE years ago] Has Scientology’s cruise ship, the Freewinds, made its last voyage?
[SIX years ago] Blacks not ready for the vote: L. Ron Hubbard’s damning 1960 harangue supporting apartheid
[SEVEN years ago] Tony Ortega: Musician, songwriter, and steel executive, 1938-2019
[EIGHT years ago] How L. Ron Hubbard tried to hoax the FBI, and ‘brainwashed’ politicians of the far right
[NINE years ago] Louis Farrakhan: Nation of Islam will stand by Scientology as Leah Remini ‘goes in hard’
[TEN years ago] Why Scientology’s petition to the Texas Supreme Court mentions a dildo, and other surprises
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology’s Orwellian methods of control explained in a new book by Jefferson Hawkins
[TWELVE years ago] Scott Pilutik helps us evaluate Scientology’s petition to Texas appeals court
[THIRTEEN years ago] Oklahoma Drug Rehab Bill Passes Senate: Scientology’s Narconon Days Numbered?
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Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Joe Reaiche (1958-2024) did not see his daughter Alanna Masterson in his final 6,999 days.
Mike Rinder (1955-2025) did not see his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in his final 7,589 days.
Tammy Synovec has not seen her daughter Julia in 3,545 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,049 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,555 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,105 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 3,095 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,481 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,976 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,280 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 4,931 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,149 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,703 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 5,044 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,615 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,531 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,698 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,280 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,539 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,291 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,856 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,171 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,346 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 5,028 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,365 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,218 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,334 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,696 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 4,107 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,495 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,379 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,943 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,455 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,715 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,819 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on February 20, 2026 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter.
Our book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is 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, 1995-2024 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2024), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
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Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
