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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Scott Pilutik helps us evaluate Scientology’s petition to Texas appeals court

Scott Pilutik

Yesterday, we posted Scientology’s petition for a writ of mandamus, as the church attempts to overturn the decision by Comal County Judge Dib Waldrip allowing Monique Rathbun to depose Scientology leader David Miscavige in her harassment lawsuit against the church.

We pointed out that the recitation of facts in the petition is very []

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SCIENTOLOGY’S PRAYER: The Hail Mary petition to keep David Miscavige from being deposed

In December, Comal County Judge Dib Waldrip decided that Monique Rathbun has the right to depose the leader of the Church of Scientology, David Miscavige, in her harassment lawsuit against the church. The judge then reasserted that decision after he was asked to reconsider. But now, Scientology is so determined to keep Miscavige out of []

Did John Travolta reveal too much about Scientology?

Last week, a flattering interview with John Travolta showed up in the Telegraph in advance of the actor’s appearance this weekend in London. Since then, numerous media outlets have been making much of one statement Travolta made in the piece about how he coped after the 2009 death of his son Jett…

“I don’t know what []

This is Scientology today: Oregon 10-year-old celebrated for donating $100,000

Yesterday, former Scientology spokesman Mike Rinder posted a stunning new flier at his blog.

The flier was part of a series describing the fundraising for a project to replace the Mountain View, California church with a new facility that will be known as the “Silicon Valley Ideal Org.”

More than 10 years after it started, Scientology leader []

The BBC’s John Sweeney gives us another glimpse of creepy Scientology intimidation

During hearings this week in a lawsuit about Scientology spying and harassment, a 2010 video was played in a courtroom that showed the church’s hired operatives following Monique Rathbun to her south Texas home.

The video had nothing to do with a free-speech protest, and Monique has never been a member of the church itself. []

Jefferson Hawkins finishes off our series on Scientology ethics with a reprieve

Jefferson Hawkins was once the top marketing executive for the Church of Scientology and helped it reach its greatest extent with the famous “volcano” TV ads in the 1980s. He’s told his tale of getting into and out of the church with his excellent books Counterfeit Dreams and Leaving Scientology, and he’s helping us understand []

Ray Jeffrey on Scientology in the courtroom: ‘Constantly getting tripped up on the facts’

We had a chance to talk with Monique Rathbun’s attorney Ray Jeffrey about Wednesday’s court hearing in Monique’s harassment lawsuit against the Church of Scientology and its leader, David Miscavige.

The most important result of the hearing is that Scientology’s attempt to quash a deposition of Miscavige was unsuccessful. Comal County Judge Dib Waldrip said that []

Black hearts and burning crosses: Scientology litigation is getting weird in Texas

We asked the very talented Observer to create for us a fun take on the meme that has grabbed hold of the Bunker this week after we learned about how the phrase “black heart” came up during a court hearing in New Braunfels, []

We talk to Ray Jeffrey about today’s brutally long day in a Texas court battling Scientology

Scientology attorneys watch other Scientology attorneys in the courtroom

As we reported earlier today, local journalist Nick Rogers and photographer Mike Bennitt were in the Comal County courthouse in New Braunfels, Texas today to help us cover the latest hearing in Monique Rathbun’s harassment lawsuit against the Church of Scientology and its leader, David []

VIDEO LEAK: Scientology’s November IAS Gala, featuring a slimmed-down David Miscavige

Our video elves have been busy again, and we have another treat for you.

A source has made available for us video from Scientology’s historic IAS gala, which took place in November in a giant tent in Clearwater, Florida.

The International Association of Scientologists was founded in 1984 as a legal defense fund for the church. Members []