TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: We couldn’t wait to see what our appellate expert, TX Lawyer, had to say about the California attorney general’s response to Scientology’s amicus brief, which the church submitted in an attempt to get Danny Masterson sprung from prison. Here’s his assessment. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“The analytical mind has many parts and many abilities. It contains the individualism, the personality, the ambition, the persistence in life, the vigor of action, the observing and computing and imagining abilities, and, not the least, ‘I’ itself. Other abilities and functional actions are also seated in the analytical mind, many more than can be accurately known at this writing, for ESP in particular is evidenced largely and is disturbed by anything which inhibits the analytical mind, a matter now under research in Dianetics.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1950
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“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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“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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“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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1998: Gerry Armstrong posted an affidavit Scientology prepared to derail his lawsuit in Nevada by disputing residency in that state. “I, Janet Holsclaw, declare and state as follows: I am an employee of Talon Executive Services, Inc. I have personal knowledge of the facts stated herein, and if called as a witness I could and would testify under oath as follows: On December 31, 1997, I discovered that Gerald David Armstrong had only been issued a Nevada Drivers License on December 19, 1997 with an expiration date of 10/18/01. Investigator Jeff Martin discovered that Gerald David Armstrong had rented a rental car from them from 15 December 1997 through 20 December 1997 and provided his address as 715 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. San Anselmo, California. Investigator Martin was also informed by the Budget Rental agent on December 27, 1997, that Gerald David Armstrong frequently rented from them and had always used the same California address in all previous times he rented from them.” Gerry commented on the filing: “Budget advises me that the divulgence of my data to $cientology PIs by Budget’s agent is unauthorized, a violation their own policy and an invasion of my privacy. There are significant untruths even in the information cult PIs Holsclaw and Martin claim they obtained from the Budget agent.”
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“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: 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] Clearwater to Scientology about contested street: Not so fast there, bub
[TWO years ago] Leah Remini’s new lawyer for Scientology lawsuit: The man who put Pellicano in prison
[THREE years ago] Scientology and the Internet: Before there was Clambake, another OG made his mark
[FOUR years ago] PODCAST: Bruce Hines on Scientology Sea Org insanity, and a Shelly story we hadn’t heard
[FIVE years ago] How many Scientologists live in your town? Surprisingly, Scientology has an answer
[SIX years ago] Scientologists mourn the loss of Kelly Preston, say nothing about former member Ben Keough
[SEVEN years ago] It’s not hard to figure out where L. Ron Hubbard came up with Scientology’s space cooties
[EIGHT years ago] Saturday on L. Ron Hubbard Way — Scientology rolled out its sneaky focus on minorities
[NINE years ago] Scientology’s ‘Drug-Free’ influence-peddling plans for New York on August 1, in detail
[TEN years ago] Scientology’s appeal denied, trial date to be set in forced-abortion lawsuit
[ELEVEN years ago] Leah Remini’s ex-Scientology friends rock TLC — and our interview with one of them
[TWELVE years ago] Camilla Andersson goes public after 29 years in Scientology’s inner elite
[THIRTEEN years ago] Claire Headley Wonders, Was Kirstie Alley Doing Scientology’s “Doubt Formula?”
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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 3,691 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,195 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,701 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,251 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,627 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 3,122 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,428 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 5,077 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,295 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,849 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 5,190 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,761 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,677 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,844 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,430 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,689 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,437 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 4,006 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,317 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,492 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 5,174 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,511 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,364 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,480 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,842 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,641 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,525 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 4,098 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,601 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,861 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,965 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on July 16, 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
