Tony Ortega is a journalist who was formerly the editor of The Village Voice. He's written about Scientology since 1995, and in May 2015 released a book about Scientology's harassment of Paulette Cooper titled 'The Unbreakable Miss Lovely.' He continues to monitor breaking developments in the Scientology world from an undisclosed location in an underground bunker he shares with four cats and one of them wrinkly Shar Pei dogs. Despite his super-secret security protections, you can still reach him pretty easily by sending him a message at tonyo94 AT gmail.com (Drop him a line if you'd like to get an e-mail whenever a new story is posted.) [Header image courtesy John Rickard]
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Sentencing hearing for NXIVM leader Keith Raniere now scheduled for Jan 17

 We’re going to start lobbying Dianne Lipson to be in the courtroom for us as Nxivm leader Keith Raniere is sentenced in Brooklyn on January 17. []

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White House follies: ‘No crimes are being committed in this text. We swear!’

[Gordon Sondland, US ambassador to the EU]

Attorney Scott Pilutik wrestles with the news of the day, from a lawyerly perspective…

Three House committees released text messages between White House officials in the run-up and aftermath of the Trump phone call with Ukraine president Zelensky. They provided some helpful context but the text messages are pretty []

BBC: Scottish children who escaped US cult speak out about years of abuse

 Who are the Bunker’s knowledgeable readers about David Berg’s icky flirty-fishing “Children of God” cult? []

For $100, Scientologist sorcerer will share secret of living to 150 (and we have the secret!)

[Rey Robles on CNN’s Believer]

You might remember that we were not very impressed with Reza Aslan’s short-lived Believer series that aired in 2017 on CNN, in particular its dishonest episode about Scientology. Admitting that he had “a soft spot” for Scientology, Aslan pretended that the teeny tiny “indie” movement of Scientologists was so potent, it []

Former Jehovah’s Witnesses elder testifies in his molestation trial, gets 80 years in prison

[Roderick Watkins]

At his Facebook page, ex-JW activist Mark O’Donnell, posting as John Redwood on Facebook, reported from the scene at an Arkansas criminal trial, relating the dramatic events of what happened []

L.A. District Attorney Jackie Lacey to face progressive challenger next year

[Jackie Lacey with Scientology operative, Taryn Teutsch]

Well, at least the Los Angeles Times is on this []

VIDEO: 10 Things Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t know about their own religion

 Lloyd Evans has a new video and we love the premise. Here’s how he describes []

Trump has now twice implicated Pence, who seems aware he’s in a Prisoner’s Dilemma

[The vice president meeting Ukraine President Zelensky in Warsaw, Sept 2]

Attorney Scott Pilutik wrestles with the news of the day, from a lawyerly perspective…

[In regards to this Washington Post story: Trump involved Pence in efforts to pressure Ukraine’s leader, though officials say vice president was unaware of allegations in whistleblower complaint]

The Prisoner’s Dilemma is a []

Trophy hunting beneficial to African communities? Boston Globe begs to differ.

[Cecil the lion]

As repugnant as trophy hunting is, it has its defenders. And invariably, they argue that killing lions and elephants in Africa is actually beneficial to the local communities where it []

Tree of Life: Nearly a year later, a community struggles with homegrown terror

 This brilliant Times of Israel piece revisits the Tree of Life synagogue, almost a year after 11 of its members were killed in a cowardly act of domestic terrorism last October []