TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: An appeals court gave Leah Remini a victory over Scientology in her ‘Fair Game’ lawsuit, but issued its opinion ‘unpublished’ making it harder for others suing the church to benefit. Leah tried to change that, but the court has turned her down, TX Lawyer explains. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
“The auditor who deals with children needs to evaluate the child’s environment from a dianetic viewpoint. In many cases it will be the parents who need processing, not the child. In any case it is important that the parent understand what key-ins are, and how to avoid them. One of the important points to remember in this connection is that the ‘usual’ childhood illnesses quite often occur three days after some emotional upset in the home. In processing the child, make sure to explore the area before any illness he may have had for the key-in which helped to bring it on. The first sickness of the child will help you locate the first key-in. If enough of these are found in the child, the parents will be convinced of the necessity of preventing further key-ins. If the child’s processing does not provide enough evidence to persuade the parents of the importance of key-ins on the health of the child, it is a part of the processing of the child to demonstrate on one of the parents that such key-ins do take place, and that they affect health and happiness.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1950
——————–
“I know it’s mean of me, it’s cabalist, it’s rabble-rousing for me to infer that the majesty of government is actually being used to further some foul, religious end in some way and to cause everybody to be dead. But I’m very interested in the fact that the Church of England, of all organizations, right down here in the form of a vicar (who, I think, has had to move since), this bird — I’m looking at a face or two here who were present in this — was being very censorious about our giving death lessons to young children. Story went around the world. What do you think this guy does every time he stands up there in the pulpit? He’s talking about going to heaven and all this sort of thing. He’s giving death lessons to little kids. Diana came home from school one day crying. She was going to a local school up here. She wanted to know if all this stuff about poor Christ was true. And I gave her the hot dope, and — well, as a matter of fact, I did. I was very reasonable about the whole thing. I said, ‘Native populaces have their religious beliefs, and wherever you are, you must remain tolerant of the current beliefs,’ and so forth, and she took this in. But it’s interesting that this bird down here is asserting how wrong it is, don’t you see, to give children death lessons while he himself is giving them death lessons. Only our death lessons are straight dope this is what happens with regard to death — but his are a darn lie.” — L. Ron Hubbard, August 27, 1963
——————–
“Congratulations on getting rid of the civilian engineers. They signed a no-claim and a confession of mutiny before leaving. It transpires that da Silva had a criminal record arm long. They have went. Now we should check for anything damaged by them.” — The Commodore, August 27, 1969
——————–
“I was given a clue that what we have been feeling during these months of 2020 is a kind of ‘blanketing’ low-tone vibration. Probably a Freezone OT committee would be able to identify it and as-is it somehow. What is a fact is that the Dems and lefty Scienos and ex-Scienos have fallen victim to this blanketing of the planet.”
——————–
1998: The Tampa Bay Business Journal reported that Beers Construction Company is preparing to build Scientology’s Super Power Building in Clearwater. “Beers will soon break ground on a new 300,000-square-foot ministerial training and pastoral counseling center for the Church of Scientology. The building, designed by the Tampa office of Hellmuth Obata & Kassabaum, will take two years to build. It will sit on Fort Harrison Avenue near the Fort Harrison Hotel. One part of the project — transplanting a 100-year-old oak tree — may set a world record as the heaviest oak tree ever transplanted, church officials said. The 412-ton, 65-foot tree took a day and a half to move. Preserving the tree was important to church officials and members, even though the city had granted the church permission to cut it down.”
——————–
“The Church of Scientology is as wrong as the Kims in North Korea. Some things just need to be stopped, you don’t even have to think about it, you feel it in your gut. I remember my father telling me about how my grandfather signed up to join the Lincoln Brigade to go fight Franco. I didn’t understand at first, but later I did.”
——————–
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, oral arguments scheduled for June 25. 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. Now serving time in 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 June 19.
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, which is now fully briefed. Oral arguments hearing set for July 23.
— 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 upheld on appeal. Scientology expected to file additional petitions before case can return to Kalra’s court.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration. Trial has been set for January 10, 2028.
——————–
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?
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Scientology success: ‘I became at peace with being controlled by a man’
[TWO years ago] He was in on some of Scientology’s biggest intel operations: And now he’s talking
[THREE years ago] Is this the lamest tabloid ‘Tom Cruise has left Scientology’ speculation ever?
[FOUR years ago] PODCAST: Examining Scientology’s new marketing juggernaut, a ‘Wider Bridge’
[FIVE years ago] Tom Cruise’s Scientology superpowers, No. 6: Resuscitating the recently deceased
[SIX years ago] The Top 25 People Enabling Scientology, No. 19: Wally Pope
[SEVEN years ago] Vote for the most startling statement on the ‘Scientology and the Aftermath’ finale
[EIGHT years ago] Hey, Colombia: Here’s the video of Scientology’s David Miscavige you’ve been looking for
[NINE years ago] How dishonest is tabloid media about Scientology? Here’s a pretty good example.
[TEN years ago] Scientology wastes no time taking over Florida sign after ‘disconnection’ billboard expires
[ELEVEN years ago] ¡Ay, caramba! Nancy Cartwright has a whale of a time in Mexico to raise money for Scientology
[TWELVE years ago] The Document: When Scientology canceled ‘Family Time’
[THIRTEEN years ago] The Dreaded “Joburg Sec Check”: Scientology Interrogations, Explained!
——————–
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 3,733 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,237 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,743 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,293 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,669 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 3,164 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,470 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 5,119 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,337 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,891 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 5,232 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,803 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,719 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,886 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,472 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,731 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,479 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 4,048 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,359 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,534 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 5,216 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,553 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,406 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,522 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,884 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,683 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,567 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 4,142 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,643 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,903 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 16,007 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on August 27, 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, 1995-2025 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)
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates.
Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
