TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: We go way back with attorney John P. Coale. We first wrote about his Scientology involvement (along with his wife, Greta Van Susteren) back in 2015, and he talked to us for a story about Lisa Marie Presley. And now, the White House has a big new role for him! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“Seventh Dynamic. Theta. This is the dynamic towards the preservation of the body of energy sometimes called God . . . call it anything you want to, there is that something which man has always striven toward. He has a certain faith that he becomes imbued with and which makes it possible for him to do things that he never would have dreamed of doing before. To a boy whose life is all wrapped up in electronics and who is sitting on the edge of a cyclotron, God may well be a cyclotron. To an author, God might be a book, and to a mechanic God might seem to be a very fine racing car. But these would be rather short-sighted views for each individual.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1951
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“How do you run a grief charge? Take him to the beginning of the moment when the incident first occurred….This goes way back on the track to a thing called, evidently, the Weeper — salt water. And for about half a million years man was having a hell of a time trying to rush into the waves long enough to get some food and rush back to get some air. And he didn’t have anything with which to rush. And it was, and it was very frustrating. So frustration winds up in spilling salt water. He had a couple of little tubes and he pushed these out of the shell and he’d pump like mad trying to pump out all the salt water. You run a preclear on this and it’s just fabulous.” — L. Ron Hubbard, October 7, 1953
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“Persons on Festival posts must report back to former status and post. They will be assigned further by the ED 140 FAO Mission, Ens David Mayo in some instances. This mission, David Mayo and Andrea Sibirsky, has the job of phaseover. Help him all you can.” — The Commodore, October 7, 1971
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“Recently I blocked a woman because she was using plain Black Scientology on me. I felt quite relaxed after blocking her.”
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1997: Keith Henson reported attention from Scientology private investigator Eugene Ingram this week. “A report has our favorite wanted-in-Florida felon actively dead agenting me to the other Alcor board members today. Most of them have known about this SP hobby of mine for a long time because I briefed them about it, and various things they should expect over a year ago. But Gene managed to get to one who had been out of the country at that time, and laid the usual DA material on him, making the slightly amusing claim that I had made one of my daughters pregnant. The funniest thing about all of this is that the guy Gene talked to is a board certified psychologist.”
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“I had a dream I was L. Ron Hubbard and I was wearing a cape, sitting on a throne, with a bevy of teenage beauties sitting at my feet.”
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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, 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.
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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] Scientology now tells members to save Oct 24 or 31 for big tent party
[TWO years ago] Can Scientology’s OT’s deflect Hurricane Milton headed right for its HQ?
[THREE years ago] PODCAST: Trish Conley and her sister Liz on how Scientology destroyed their family
[FOUR years ago] Olmedo Rules: Details of the court’s decision on Scientology in Danny Masterson’s case
[FIVE years ago] Scientology OT, after having scam shut down, tests the waters for a comeback
[SIX years ago] First look at ‘Brothers Broken,’ a Scientology documentary that features the Bunker
[SEVEN years ago] As Scientologists face another day in L.A. court, we have a bizarre twist to the case
[EIGHT years ago] Exploiting Tony Bourdain’s suicide or giving out weird massages, Scientology never rests
[NINE years ago] Scientology is hacked off that Luis Garcia and attorney will appear on ‘Leah Remini’
[TEN years ago] What’s the worst that can happen when you sue Scientology? Here’s one frightening example.
[ELEVEN years ago] A secret Scientology wake, a ‘Snow White’ link, & more odd twists emerge in the Cat White story
[TWELVE years ago] Comedy gold: Mark Ebner catches Scientology cheating with Sarah Silverman
[THIRTEEN years ago] U.S. SUPREME COURT DENIES SCIENTOLOGY IN FORCED-ABORTION LAWSUIT
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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 3,774 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,278 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,784 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,334 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,710 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 3,205 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,511 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 5,160 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,378 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,932 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 5,273 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,843 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,760 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,927 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,513 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,772 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,520 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 4,089 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,400 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,575 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 5,257 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,594 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,447 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,563 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,925 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,724 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,568 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 4,183 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,684 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,944 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 16,048 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on October 7, 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)
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Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
