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Joe Biden’s potential VP pick Karen Bass at a Scientology ‘Ideal Org’ event: Disqualifying?

 
The Daily Caller this afternoon broke a story that we’ve had evidence of on our website here at the Underground Bunker for a couple of years: That former California Assembly Speaker and current US Representative Karen Bass was one of the featured speakers at the 2010 grand opening of a Scientology ‘Ideal Org’ in Los Angeles.

That’s suddenly now a big story because Bass is reportedly one of the women presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is considering to be his running mate.

If Biden is elected at 77, his choice of Vice President is especially crucial, since he may serve only one term. Who he picks for VP would have a serious leg up on becoming president in turn.

And should that be someone who had the lack of judgment to accept an invitation from Scientology to speak at an Ideal Org opening?

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“As a public servant, I try to do everything in my power to give a voice to the voiceless, and to guarantee that no one goes unheard,” Bass said during her short speech at the event. “But through human rights education, we empower everyone to lift their voice and to be heard. The Church of Scientology I know has made a difference, because your Creed is a universal creed and one that speaks to all people everywhere.”

She also said: “The words are exciting of your founder, L. Ron Hubbard, in The Creed of the Church of Scientology: that all people of whatever race, color or creed, are created with equal rights. It’s a remarkable credit to your church that this is part of your creed.”

Ugh.

We’ve written many times about politicians singing Scientology’s praises, and it always amazes us that any of them would do so, knowing not only Scientology’s long history of controversies and exposes about its abuses, but also knowing how few votes there can really be in endorsing L. Ron Hubbard, David Miscavige, or an organization that works children 90 hours a week for little or no pay, splits up families in order to maintain totalitarian control over their lives, and has for decades forced young women to have abortions in order to keep working around the clock.

 

 
We’re seeing a lot of really bewildered folks asking why this matters, or what Scientology is. We’ll try to answer a few basic questions for the uninitiated.

What’s an Ideal Org, and why were politicians there? Beginning in about 2003, Scientology leader David Miscavige began an effort to replace Scientology’s “orgs” — short for “organizations” and what Scientology uses interchangeably with “churches” — with upgraded facilities. Tens of millions is spent on an Ideal Org, which is much more lavish and programmed in its interiors and appearance than the org it replaces. All evidence suggests that Scientology is shrinking, but the major effort of the last 17 years has been raising the millions to do these renovations and open these gleaming new cathedrals. In 2010, it was LA’s turn with its new Ideal Org, and local politicians were invited. Over the years, Scientology has had some successes in this regard, but most politicians know enough to stay far away.

Does this mean that Karen Bass is a Scientologist? Not necessarily, but her words at the 2010 event suggest that she was at least somewhat familiar with Scientology’s front groups and the “human rights” work that Scientology pretends to do. On the other hand, her repeated use of the word “creed” suggests that she really has no understanding of Scientology and was just paying lip service: Although Scientology pretends to have inclusive ideals as stated in its “creed,” that’s just window dressing. Scientology is a totalitarian organization, and it has no respect whatsoever for people of other creeds.

Is this the only example of Bass shilling for Scientology? Two years after the Ideal Org event, in 2012 Bass gave Scientology front group Youth for Human Rights International a proclamation, along with US Senator Harry Reid and LA City Councilman Bernard Parks, according to a Scientology press release. And in 2011, when Scientology opened an org and community center in Inglewood, “Congresswoman Karen Bass wrote a message acknowledging the Church for ‘its many humanitarian initiatives and social betterment programs for the benefit of South Los Angeles’.” She also provided a proclamation for Youth for Human Rights in 2013.

Should this be disqualifying? It’s not a good look. However, a word about how she has nothing to do with Scientology today, and that she is concerned by the revelations brought out by people like Leah Remini would go a long way. Also, the last time Scientology faced a serious investigation, it was the FBI under Barack Obama and Joe Biden in 2009/2010. (Why that probe got derailed is a very long and complicated story.)

 
Here’s Karen Bass’s statement about her appearance at the event…

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Source Code

“If you really know your E-Meters, go down to your local hometown detective bureau and ask to talk to the lie detector expert and talk to him for a few minutes and he starts giving you some wise, professional chitterchat. Why, you just tell him you’re a psychologist — he understands that, the man has a limited vocabulary, usually — and tell him you use these things all the time in your practice and so forth, and you’d just like to look over his setup. Well, these guys are all bugs and they will show you their setup with their blood pressure gauge and their respirators and the little meter with the cans, you know, except they don’t put them on properly and they don’t register quite right. Now, you can take the same rig and you can so baffle and astound this man, so he just practically blows his brains out. He says, ‘What have I been doing all this time!’ and so on. You can show him a murder reaction on every cop in the place. You don’t say, ‘Have you committed the murder?’ You say, ‘Have you ever killed anyone?’ And promptly, you get duhduh and the respirator goes bluh, the blood pressure indicator goes blah. You could be very cruel and simply say to the lie detector operator, ‘Obviously, your machine is out of order.’ That’s what he’ll think. He’ll have a letter off right away to the manufacturers.” — L. Ron Hubbard, July 31, 1958

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“His life consisted of only a few things. He did not work. He listened to these tapes. He solo audited himself endlessly on GPMs and line plots. A VERY bad idea. He drank heavily every night. He had bad hangovers almost every day and took tons of pain killers. What money he did have he spent on prostitutes and alcohol. He was sick, and his teeth were rotting in his mouth to the point where my PCs could not be in the same car with him because the stench was so bad. He was an apathy case that had been doing himself in for many years and he finally killed himself. A very sad story.”

 
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Random Howdy

“Hubbard should have just cut to the chase and told the clams that he had discovered that all money was infested with body thetans and that they needed to bring their filthy lucre in to Flag to be audited. He could have called it ‘The Wallet of Fire’.”

 
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker

Criminal prosecutions:
Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Arraignment scheduled for September 18.
Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay’s sentencing is set for August 27 in White Plains, NY
Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Next pretrial conference set for Jan 12 in Los Angeles
Dennis Nobbe, Medicare fraud, PPP loan fraud: Charged July 29

Civil litigation:
Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments set for August 30 at the Eleventh Circuit
Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Hearing on motion for reconsideration set for August 11
Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Sept 4 (CSI/RTC demurrer against Riales, Masterson demurrer), Oct 7-19 (motions to compel arbitration)
Jane Doe v. Scientology (in Miami): Jane Doe dismissed the lawsuit on May 15 after the Clearwater Police dropped their criminal investigation of her allegations.
Matt and Kathy Feschbach bankruptcy appeal: Oral arguments were heard on March 11 in Jacksonville
Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Amended complaint filed, trial set for Nov 9, 2021

 
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Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!

[Stacy Francis, Jason Dohring, and Anne Archer]

We’ve been building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and we’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them. Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments.

Scientology’s celebrities, from A to Z! Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

Scientology’s ‘Ideal Orgs,’ from one end of the planet to the other! Help us build up pages about each these worldwide locations!

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 our weekly series. How many have you read?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] ‘Strange Angel’ goes there, teases Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard at season end
[TWO years ago] Scientology spilling the secrets of the universe on an LA street!
[THREE years ago] Phil and Willie Jones versus Scientology: The real story of how the billboard came to be
[FOUR years ago] Harlem gets its Scientology ‘Ideal Org’ today, and David Miscavige doesn’t want you there
[FIVE years ago] Fresh DOX: Police calls to the Narconon in Fort Collins, Colorado — unedited and unread!
[SIX years ago] Jon Atack: Did L. Ron Hubbard want to be considered a god?
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology Admits Connection to Slimy Anonymous Attack Sites — Again
[NINE years ago] Scientology Spinout: Commenters of the Week!

 
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Scientology disconnection, a reminder

Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 2,015 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,519 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,039 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,059 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 950 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,257 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,125 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,899 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,703 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,019 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,585 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,504 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,672 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,253 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,514 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,552 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,265 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,790 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,320 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,880 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,020 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,340 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,195 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,314 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,670 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,973 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,079 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,481 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,353 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,936 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,431 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,685 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,794 days.

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Posted by Tony Ortega on July 31, 2020 at 21:30

E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.

Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now 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, 1995-2019 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2019), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists | GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice | SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts | Shelly Miscavige, 14 years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ

Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…

Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.

Our non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele

 

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