TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: After Clearwater’s city council disregarded the will of their own voters to bend over for Scientology, we said that the Save the Garden movement would have little choice but to sue. This week, they did just that, and we have the entire lawsuit for you. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“Unfortunately, Dianetics is surrounded by a world that calls itself a world of science, but it is a world that is in actuality a world of Authority. True, that which is science today is far, far in advance of the Hindu concept of the world wherein a hemisphere rested on the backs of seven elephants which stood on seven pillars, that stood on the back of a mud turtle, below which was mud into infinity.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1951
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“It is interesting that the Tagalogs weren’t ever told that you were supposed to stop when you were hit by a bullet. So they would get hit with three or four bullets through the heart and one through the head and then run seventy-five yards and take a machete and whack off an American soldier’s head. This was disconcerting to our troops during the Philippine insurrection. So we sent a lot of people in and convinced them that when you were hit by a bullet you were supposed to die. They have never repeated this performance. That is an interesting datum. And yet there were lots of Tagalogs running around getting shot at during World War II and none of them put on this kind of a performance. What actually happened to them was mechanical.” — L. Ron Hubbard, November 12, 1951
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“Radical sweeping changes based on the wrong why can crash an org or area. When stats are awful or near zero it doesn’t much matter what you do. But when they’re on a nice steady week after week rise DON’T CHANGE ANYTHING! As one’s pay and morale and Scientology advance depends on this know-how, it is very very important!” — The Commodore, November 12, 1970
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“I’m not sure if a soul can be a spirit guide and reincarnate, but Ron is my #1 spirit guide. Been with me since birth. I’m a medium and talk to him all the time. I’m surprised Scientologists never hired a medium to talk to him. I only became aware this past August that I have abilities which is why I’m just now searching for answers. I just asked my reader if they can reincarnate and be guides. I’ll let you know. They cannot be spirit guides and reincarnate at the same time. So he has not reincarnated but lives on in spirit. If I’m not mistaken, Scientology has connections to the spiritual realm.”
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1998: The State of Florida this week charged Scientology with crimes in connection with the death of Lisa McPherson, who did in their care in 1995. From the Associated Press: “The Church of Scientology was charged Friday in the 1995 death of a member whose family claimed the church held her against her will for 17 days. Prosecutor Bernie McCabe charged the church with abuse or neglect of a disabled adult and practicing medicine without a license, both felonies.” From Reuters: “The indictment presented by McCabe charges the Church of Scientology with abuse or neglect of a disabled adult and with practicing medicine without a license, but does not charge any individual church members. The indictment alleges that McPherson was psychotic. It says she was kept isolated, prevented from leaving the church building and given medicine without her consent.”
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“I’m bemused that ex-Scientologists still actively engage in magical thinking, not realizing that the number one reason that they got sucked into Scientology in the first place is because they were already engaged in magical thinking through a belief and interest in the supernatural and the paranormal which had already placed them on the slippery slope to cult hell.”
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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 heard and submitted, waiting for ruling. 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. Scientology’s attempt to gut the case failed, and appeals court upheld. Back to trial court in December.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ 17 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. Case returning 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. Hearing on arbitration motion set for March, 2027.
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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] Countdown to Room 174: Remembering, in real time, Scientology’s grimmest scandal
[TWO years ago] Danny Masterson’s attorney is helping Priscilla Presley play hardball in court
[THREE years ago] Gottfried Helnwein: The celebrated artist and his loud silence on Scientology
[FOUR years ago] LAPD responds to Leah Remini tweets about Shelly Miscavige, gets stuff wrong
[FIVE years ago] Lest we forget: Scientology started out as quack cure-all, selling electronic snake oil
[SIX years ago] Valerie Haney takes fight against Scientology ‘arbitration’ to California Supreme Court
[SEVEN years ago] Woman who fled Scientology after being lured in by Jason Dohring acting class goes public
[EIGHT years ago] AUDIO: Scientology fundraising throws in a little conspiracy-mongering for effect
[NINE years ago] Tonight on ‘Leah Remini’: Scientology’s front groups, including Narconon, get a special look
[TEN years ago] Leah Remini schools us on what motivates Scientologists to toe the line
[ELEVEN years ago] Countdown to Room 174: Remembering, in real time, Scientology’s grimmest scandal
[TWELVE years ago] Scientology Photoshopping: Erasing L. Ron Hubbard’s second wife from ‘The RON Series’
[THIRTEEN years ago] Bruce Hines Joins Us As Claire Headley Keeps Us Moving Through Scientology’s OT Levels!
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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 3,810 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,314 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,820 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,370 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,746 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 3,241 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,547 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 5,196 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,414 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,968 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 5,309 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,879 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,796 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,963 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,549 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,808 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,556 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 4,125 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,436 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,611 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 5,293 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,630 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,483 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,599 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,961 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,760 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,604 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 4,219 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,720 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,980 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 16,084 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on November 12, 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
