We can’t believe it’s been nearly five years since we first talked to Marc Headley about his book, Blown for Good. A gripping read, the book describes Headley’s experience growing up in Scientology and becoming a worker at the church’s secretive International Base east of Los Angeles, where he became a guinea pig for Tom Cruise to learn how to ‘audit.’
While workers in Scientology’s ‘Sea Organization,’ Marc and his wife Claire were prohibited from having children. In a lawsuit they later filed against the church after their 2005 escape, the Headleys said that Claire was forced twice to have abortions to comply with the no-children rule. Despite losing in court, the Headleys have thrived after leaving Scientology, and now have three young boys.
This weekend, the Colorado family made an excursion to Denver to see a Rockies baseball game. Marc sent us this report, which we knew our readers would want to see…
Last year when I was on my way to a Colorado Rockies game downtown, I noticed that the local Scientology building was offering parking for the game in their lot. I asked the attendant (an org staff member in uniform) how much the parking was and how many spaces they had. He said they had about 100 spots and that they filled the lot every game. He said the price varies depending on the game but it’s usually $20-$35. He said they sometimes keep a few spots for staff and students.
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I also got a report from someone else who parked in the lot that the Scientologists gave them a gift bag with their parking spot, and in it was a Way to Happiness booklet and some free Scientology film tickets.This weekend we were downtown for a Rockies game and the lot was especially full and there were a few students’ cars parked on the street, a car belonging to The Chimney Doctor, and one other that had a Scientology logo on the back. There was a guy in the lot collecting the money. Instead of a staff member, this time it was Scott Graves. He is an OT VIII public Scientologist who has a painting company (Scott the Painter).
In downtown Denver, in order to legally charge for parking, you must obtain a city permit and the property owner must fill out the paperwork and obtain a bond. I wonder if the International Scientology Landlord has done this or if the Denver Ideal Org staff are just making a few extra bucks on the down low. My guess would be the latter.
Either way, as long as I was there I went into the org to see how busy it was. There was a huge sign outside that said, “Everyone welcome!” so I walked right in. There was one single staff member that I could see and the rest of the place was empty – no one else around except for a receptionist who gladly got up out of his chair to take a few shots of me at his desk in reception.
As I left and headed towards Coors Field, they had already put up LOT FULL cones in the lot and Scott the Painter was gone. I also noticed Scientology broadsheets (handouts) all over the streets and sidewalks around the stadium. Obviously, they were passing them out and people were dumping them all over on the way into the game.
I will say this, the Denver Org does have an Ideal parking lot, if you are going to a Rockies Game and are willing to pay the $10-15 price hike for the close proximity to the stadium.For a busy Sunday afternoon, they were not getting any of those people into the org but at least they probably made a cool $2,500 on parking.
Thanks, Marc. It’s nice to know that for the millions Scientologists paid for that Ideal Org in Denver, at least a few folks are getting a decent place to keep their cars during the game.
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Ken Dandar’s day in court
We told you earlier that Ken Dandar was getting another day in federal court after he’d been saddled with a $1 million judgment by a state court judge. Yesterday, Joe Childs and Charlie Frago of the Tampa Bay Times were on hand as Dandar once again tried to convince U.S. District Court Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington that she should intervene with the state court and the huge judgment it asked Dandar to pay the Church of Scientology. (Earlier, Covington had decided she had no standing to interfere with the state court decision, but an appeals court said she did have standing, and now the case is back before her.)
According to Childs and Frago, however, Covington didn’t sound very enthusiastic about derailing the state court’s action. “Even if I think that decision was incorrect, it’s not my place to do anything about it,” she said at one point during the hearing.
Well, that doesn’t sound very promising for Dandar. When Covington issues her decision, we’ll let you know what it is.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on May 20, 2014 at 07:00
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