Tony Ortega's book The Unbreakable Miss Lovely, Paulette Cooper

I may or may not be visible in ^this^ picture.

Everything is going so well with the book tour, it's awesome! I so wish I could be in Toronto.

What really concerns me is the next book tour event at the Clearwater Library. They definitely have a bedbug problem in all the Pinellas County libraries. There's a TB Times article below that I think is better than the earlier one ITT from the St. Petersburg Tribune.

My neighbor had to deal with bedbugs after his kids brought them into the house. He noticed them due to the kids getting bit all over plus the blood stains all over the sheets. Yucko! He spent over a thousand dollars over a few months because they were "gone" but then eggs hatched and there you go again. They ended up having to practically burn everything to get rid of them.

DO. NOT. WANT.

On one hand, it would be epic if the culties check out a few books and it spreads like wildfire for them. LOL.

But on the other hand, the cult would probably be overjoyed to see TO, Paulette or any attendees get infested and fuck up the book tour.

IMHO, I don't think it's worth the risk to hold the event in the library. Instead, maybe TO can work out a fast Plan B and hold it somewhere else. There's still time.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/bedbugs-appear-in-tampa-bay-libraries/2234262

would I be surprised if the cult planted the bed bugs at the Clearwater library after hearing Pinellas libraries had them too!?
Nope! not one iota.
Tin foily of COURSE, but I don't put anything past this slime ball cult

That's a definite possibility and I thought of that too. Especially because this is Paulette going into the belly of the beast.

By the sounds of the articles, the bedbugs were probably found in the Clearwater Library before TO's announcement. It's hard to tell because there's no dox so far on what date they were detected. But I'm guessing they were probably found way after they first actually appeared. TO announced the CW tour only about a month ago, on May 24th:
http://tonyortega.org/2015/05/24/pa...nts-of-a-certain-florida-town/comment-page-1/

Regardless of whether the cult did it, what's everyone supposed to do now who wants to go to the book tour event? Wear hazmat suits?

Nice try? I'm not sure what you mean. All I'm doing is expressing my concern.

How do you know that the place was treated properly and that they are not there anymore? Like did they fumigate or apply extensive heat to the entire place? I don't see what they did from the news reports. From what I heard from my neighbor, if they didn't, then there's a good chance the bedbugs could still be in there. That becomes even more true because of the size of the library (looked it up, it's 90,000 sq ft) and because the bedbugs were found on three floors. It means they spread and there's a lot of places they can hide.

If no one else has done so, I'm willing to make some calls to the CW Library and find out what kind of treatment they did.

Look, I'm not trying to be the bearer of bad news here. I just don't want to see anyone get messed up by this and I think it would be wise to have a Plan B. That's all.

OK, I see where you're coming from. I completely agree that the timing of this bedbug thing is suspicious. Yes, the cult may have brought bedbugs in there. I did previously find and see the video you linked to.
But even if it's now "clean", wouldn't it be too easy for the cult to lace the library with a whole shitload of bedbugs the day before the event? Or maybe with something else? It would be the perfect way to mess with whoever comes to the event and have the blame go to the library.

Anyways, I did call the CW Library and found out there's definitely still a problem. Spoke to a librarian, Roxanne, who sounded really weary from fielding calls about the bedbugs. She said they didn't fumigate. They didn't use heat in the entire building. They never closed the library for treatment. What they did was use a dog to identify where were the bedbugs and then individually cook the books in those areas, which was on three floors.
What's worse is that she ended up telling me (after really asking a lot) that they found a bedbug lastweek! This was after all their treatment. Which means the treatment they used didn't work. Have no idea how many bedbugs might really be there. What's worse, she almost hung up on me when I asked if the place was safe - she got uptight and just wouldn't answer. That's not good at all.

If you have any doubt about any of this, please go ahead and call them yourself. Just Google Clearwater Main Library. They are open until 7pm EST.

And no, I am not trying to keep people away from the event. If it's held in the CW Library, I truly hope that it's awesome.
But because of the situation, I think that another venue should be chosen instead. Maybe some place like that Clearwater Beach pizza place where some of the Flag Down talks were held. It worked before. If I remember correctly, the room didn't cost anything except for the pizzas. And it's still close enough where it should fuck with the cult big time but without any risk of bedbugs.

Bedbugs are the scientologists of the insect world.
They target the vulnerable for what they need, don't cause pain while they extract sustenance from their victims, and the victim only sees and feels the damage after the fact.

Tampa Bay Times: Scientology critics bringing book tour to Clearwater

http://www.tampabay.com/news/scient...tics-bringing-book-tour-to-clearwater/2235111

* * * * * BEGIN EXCERPT * * * * *

Mike Brassfield

Thursday, June 25, 2015 6:09pm

CLEARWATER — Paulette Cooper is a legendary name among people who watch the Church of Scientology.
Related News/Archive

After she wrote a book in the 1970s that was critical of Scientology, the church's security agents framed her for bomb threats.

Now Tony Ortega, a journalist who runs a blog criticizing Scientology, has written a book about Cooper. The two are on a book tour, and on Sunday, they will come to Scientology Central — the city of Clearwater.

They're appearing at 2 p.m. at the Clearwater Main Library at 100 N Osceola Ave. in downtown Clearwater, a stone's throw from the church's spiritual headquarters.

* * * * * END EXCERPT * * * * *

I want you to go home and think about what you just wrote.

A radio show host in the Tampa area interviewed Tony O. this morning about his new book and scientology. Here is a link to that interview:
http://exscnforum.com/index.php/top...ony-ortega-about-the-unbreakable-miss-lovely/

Audio Waybacked

thank you for all your "waybacking"

Northern Exposure

By Tony Ortega, The Underground Bunker

Some of you noticed yesterday that we added some dates to our book tour. And that means we need your help! We’ve booked the travel, but we need assistance finding venues and groups who might want to sponsor us. Your help has been invaluable helping us put together our previous events. Please, suggest cool places where we might have 70 to 150 folks together. And for the most part, bookstores are a lost cause. They book many months out and tend to work with publishers, not authors. We’d rather meet in a theater or restaurant or a wine cellar or a brewery.

Here are the stops on the tour. Let’s get to work!

Sept 23: Cleveland

Sept 24: Minneapolis

Sept 27: Portland

Sept 28: Seattle

Sept 30: Vancouver, BC

Book Notes

Our upcoming appearances (and check out the interactive map to our ongoing tour)

June 28: Clearwater, Florida (with Paulette Cooper) Clearwater Public Library, 2 pm, sponsored by Center for Inquiry-Tampa Bay and the Humanist Society of the Suncoast.

July 12: Washington DC, Center for Inquiry (with Paulette Cooper)

July 14: Hartford, MARK TWAIN HOUSE (with Tom Tomorrow)

July 17: Denver, The Secular Hub, 7 pm (with Chris Shelton)

July 20: Dallas, Times Ten Cellar, 7 pm (with Robert Wilonsky)

July 22: Houston, Fox and Hound, 11470 Westheimer Road, sponsored by Humanists of Houston

July 24: San Antonio, Folc Restaurant, 6 pm

July 25: Austin

July 29: Paris (with Jonny Jacobsen)

August 4: London, Conway Hall, (with John Sweeney)

August 24: Boston, Boston Skeptics in the Pub, 7 pm

Sept 15: Arizona State University

Sept 23: Cleveland

Sept 24: Minneapolis

Sept 27: Portland

Sept 28: Seattle

Sept 30: Vancouver, BC

http://tonyortega.org/2015/06/27/di...acking-us-not-his-job-to-find-out-judge-said/

Project Normandy, 2015: Paulette Cooper has landed in Clearwater — Scientology’s ‘Mecca’

By Tony Ortega, The Underground Bunker

Now this is going to be fun. We arrived in Clearwater yesterday, and reunited with some great people and met plenty of new folks. And it’s all been in advance of perhaps the most anticipated stop on our book tour so far.

In 1975, tired of running Scientology from the sea, L. Ron Hubbard ordered the takeover of downtown Clearwater, Florida in a secret operation he called Project Normandy. Under the name “United Churches of Florida,” Scientology got possession of the Fort Harrison Hotel and other properties before Clearwater Mayor Gabe Cazares knew that his town was under invasion.

It’s forty years later, and Clearwater is still coming to grips with its creepy downtown that’s all but dead except for the young Sea Org members walking around or being bussed from one Scientology building to another.

In 2013, a plan was proposed to open a new aquarium at the south end of Coachman Park, replacing the smaller facility nearer the beach which is the home of Winter the dolphin, made famous in a movie for her prosthetic tail. (The smaller, current aquarium would stay open, but for animal rescue efforts.) The $160 million project was the first real sign of life returning to the downtown area in a long time, and some said it was really the last, best shot the town had.

Two years later, the plan was dead, and local politicians weren’t shy about blaming Scientology, which clearly likes its “spiritual mecca” to be just the way it is — empty and forbidding.

Well, today, that’s going to change, at least for a couple of hours.

At the north end of Coachman Park, right across the street from the Sandcastle Hotel, where advanced Scientologists pay hundreds of dollars an hour for upper-level “OT” processing, Paulette Cooper is planning an invasion of her own.

Your proprietor and Paulette will be appearing at Clearwater’s Central Public Library at 2 pm to talk about our book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely.

Continued here:
http://tonyortega.org/2015/06/28/pr...-has-landed-in-clearwater-scientologys-mecca/

From ESMB.

http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthre...Y-IS-OUT-NOW&p=1047536&viewfull=1#post1047536

Good.

Now, what about Gerry Armstrong?

Until there is an International Photo opportunity, there won't be any forgiveness sought personally by Mr. Rinder from Gerry Armstrong.

The cult humanitarians must have stage lighting and bright spotlights for their deeds.

/derail.

The guy with the blue denim baseball cap on the right resembles scumbag hack John Sugg of cult propaganda infamy.

From Tony Ortega's blog today.

http://tonyortega.org/2015/06/29/au...lush-fund-the-unlicensed-and-unregulated-ias/

* * * * * BEGIN EXCERPT * * * * *

Scientology’s Mecca draws a crowd

Just time enough to mention that we had 240 people — our largest crowd so far — to hear Paulette Cooper and your proprietor talk about our book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely yesterday in Clearwater, Florida.

On Saturday we met longtime former Scientologists whose families have been ripped apart — families you haven’t heard about because they still can’t talk publicly. Others came out to the event on Sunday and told it us it was the first time they’d ever come to a public gathering that Scientology itself might not find salubrious. These were brave folks.

And there were some pretty epic meetings. Former Scientology spokesman Mike Rinder and attorney Ken Dandar in the same room probably, we’re guessing, for the first time since the end of the Lisa McPherson litigation in 2004. There were many Bunkerites and Bunkeroos it was a pleasure to meet for the first time, including Sid, Vinay, LC Spencer, and Chukicita.

But how about this historic meeting. Between the man who used to run OSA, and the woman who was the most famous target of OSA’s predecessor, Scientology’s Guardian’s Office (and your proprietor)…



That photo was snapped by Paulette’s husband, Paul Noble. At another time, when Paul took a photo of Paulette and Rinder, another person stood up and got a shot of his own. It was Freedom magazine editor John Sugg. Does that mean the former Creative Loafing journalist is going to take a shot at us for daring to come to Clearwater and talk about Scientology just steps from where high-level Scientologists are paying hundreds of dollars an hour to drive away invisible entities from their bodies? Apparently, we’re going to find out.

* * * * * END EXCERPT * * * * *

Mike Rinder wrote about the conference today.

...enjoyed a wonderful weekend with Tony Ortega, Paulette Cooper and her endlessly entertaining husband Paul Noble.

It was a highlight to finally meet her and it was an opportunity to meet new people and get together with some old friends. The turn out at the Clearwater Library was impressive — and no food was offered and no promotion about monumental announcements or highest ever evers.

The meeting was even graced by Freedom magazine. Their representative was johnny-on-the-spot and jumped in to take photos of me and Paulette together. I can imagine the next Freedom story is going to claim that I had engaged in a conspiracy with Paulette to bring down the church since 1974 (see the first Freedom mag responding to the Truth Rundown in the SP Times) or that I was trying to strangle her, giving my woman abusing proclivities (see any Freedom mag, scn website or press statement in the last 4 years). Should be fun to see how they spin it.

http://www.mikerindersblog.org/hair-raising-fundraising/

That's him according to Smurf on ESMB:

http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthre...Y-IS-OUT-NOW&p=1047792&viewfull=1#post1047792

Paulette Cooper back in Clearwater for the first time since the 1982 Scientology hearings

By Tony Ortega, The Underground Bunker



Mark Bunker got very good video of Sunday’s event in Clearwater. But about ten minutes into it your proprietor knocked his lapel microphone off, and in general the setup wasn’t ideal for sound. But blame us, not Bunker.

This was our largest room so far, with 240 people, and they were really intensely watching us. Paulette is mesmerizing, and the crowd was really with us, even if you can’t see it in this video.

If a certain Mr. Miscavige was watching, we can’t help wondering what went through his mind when we arrived to the facility riding in a white Rolls Royce. (With the Nobles, we were taken to brunch by their old friends, publishers in the area, a fascinating couple.)

If you were reading the comments yesterday, you know there was some commotion at the event, with reader Baby being asked to leave the library, and a Freedom magazine editor keeping an eye on us. But the event itself went really well. We hope it comes through on the video.

More here:
http://tonyortega.org/2015/06/30/pa...rst-time-since-the-1982-scientology-hearings/

Tony Ortega talks Scientology and his new book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely

Tony Ortega is the go-to guy when it comes to anything Scientology: if you’ve got questions, he probably has the answers. Reporting about Scientology since 1995, he’s pretty much not been out of the loop since – he currently runs The Underground Bunker, a blog that monitors breaking developments in the international world of Scientology.

This past May saw the release of Mr. Ortega’s book, “The Unbreakable Miss Lovely,” documenting the story of how Paulette Cooper was harassed by Scientology. Cooper famously wrote, The Scandal of Scientology (1971), following which she experienced years of atrocious torment and harassment by Scientology – at one point, she was even facing 15 years of imprisonment, as well as verging on the brink of suicide. In fact, the Church of Scientology officially launched Operation Freakout in 1997 against Cooper, of which the explicit aim was, "To get P.C. incarcerated in a mental institution or jail, or at least to hit her so hard that she drops her attacks.” Her story is a terrifying one, though definitely not in vain. Now, for the first time, her story can be read in full, thanks to Tony Ortega.

We were lucky enough to catch Ortega for an interview this past Sunday and, needless to say, it was informative and engrossing – though admittedly a type of morbid fascination, it’s a subject that’s nevertheless fascinating, and with Ortega’s encyclopaedic knowledge of Scientology, we were certainly kept on our toes. We talked all kinds of things, including Sea Org; Scientology’s stance on psychiatry; their dwindling numbers (despite their claims of growth); the inhumane treatment of their own members; and of course their personal attacks, both within (most notably on those that try to leave, e.g. Miscavige’s own father) and outside of the organisation (Paulette Cooper, for starters). What’s more important, though, is that people become aware of Scientology and its murky history, and it’s people like Cooper and Ortega that help to spread that information, so cheers to that.

Continued with a 95-minute audio clip, here:
http://www.wotrradio.com/blog/2015/7/1/tony-ortega-talks-scientology-to-wotr

Direct link to the audio clip:
https://www.mixcloud.com/westoftherockies/west-of-the-rockies-with-special-guest-tony-ortega/

Jesse Prince posted this on Facebook tonight. Quote:

The Unbreakable Miss Lovely Book Review

This weekend I finished reading Tony Ortega’s book “The Unbreakable Miss Lovely. It took me nearly twice as long to read Tony’s book compared to how long it took me to read Lawrence Wright’s book “Going Clear…”. Reading Tony’s account of the ordeal Paulette Cooper endured at the hands of Scientology’s Guardians Office and later Office of Special Affairs was something I had to take in slowly to give my memories time to engage. As I read the story I felt like I had taken a trip back to my old neighborhood where I grew up. Sometimes, when I’ve gone back to a place I’ve lived before the buildings and streets appear to be smaller than I remember and somehow slightly out of sorts.

I remember the first time I’d heard of a lady named Paulette Cooper, I was sitting in a conference room at Author Services Inc., a newly created organization incorporated to act as the Literary Agent for L Ron and his published works. The year was 1984. I was present at a meeting with others who were the top Scientology corporate board members and managers to figure out and do whatever we needed to handle the most pressing matter we were all tasked with. L Ron wanted an “All Clear” like yesterday and he was beyond being placated. L Ron had begun to suspect and investigate his top aides Pat Broeker and David Miscavige for failing him.

In a panic, Miscavige and Broeker who had vehemently opposed the prospect of paying out cash to settle legal cases were having a change of heart. For the first time ever they were ready to open the purse to make the legal troubles go away or L Ron was going to replace them and make them be gone just like every one of those before them. L Ron was ready to take residence at what is now known as the Gold Base, near Jan Jacinto, CA. L Ron had been at the house on the Base where he would live. Everything had been built to his specifications and he was happy with it. He knew who the new managers were of his Scientology Empire. The top L Ron Messengers were also executives in L Ron’s newly created organizations, Religious Technology Center (RTC), Church of Scientology International (CSI), Author Services (ASI) and Church of Spiritual Technology (CST). There was also a fully staffed Sound and Shoot Crew with custom made multiple purpose studio’s waiting for L Ron to put into motion. L Ron had overseen plans for building his home to his specifications, he planned for and got access to Scientology celebrities to help him succeed with his plans for making movies like Hollywood.

There was an obstacle standing between L Ron assuming the controls of his empire again and that was the threat of another raid and criminal case against him by the IRS. Secondarily the many lawsuits that were piling up against him would continue to hound him if he could be physically located. L Ron needed assurance he wouldn’t be taken to jail in a raid if it were known where he lived before he could move in. L Ron began to suspect Miscavige and Broeker were not handling matters to his satisfaction and ordered them both to be investigated. I was the person that investigated Miscavige and I’ve written about that before. Until that time, Scientology was notorious for not paying court judgments against it and waging an unholy war against any person or institution who engaged with Scientology using the American justice system or any other justice system for that matter.

A decision was made by someone above David Miscavige to pay out all lawsuits as cheaply as possible to end the war in the courts (which Scientology were losing and overspending by tens of millions of dollars) then we could focus on the IRS. Early Cooley, who was the hired Scientology court room dragon also advised we settle all legal cases if there was a chance to cut a deal with the IRS. He said maybe if the IRS sees us paying out on the lawsuits they will see there’s not much money left for them to collect. In other words, settling the cases could discourage the IRS and the Justice department from coming after Scientology too quickly.

This was a very important turning point. L Ron was very disappointed and became paranoid about not having the All Clear he so dearly wanted. He needed someone to blame and he began looking for heads to take. Pat and David were first up! The point I am making is the settlements that began with Paulette and eventually included Michael Flynn and all of his clients was the result of great pressure brought against both Pat and David by L Ron. In my opinion, this is when plans were made and agreements were formed to replace L Ron.

It was during these turbulent times that I first heard the name Paulette Cooper. I was sitting in a meeting with the usual cast Earl Cooley, David Miscavige, Vicki Aznaran, Marc Yeager, Lyman Spurlock and Norman Starkey. We are being briefed by Marty Rathbun on the progress of settling and getting rid of all legal cases against L Ron and the Scientology mother corporations. Marty is excited about settling with Paulette and he is bragging how all the others will follow in her footsteps. Marty said Paulette was the Opinion leader for many of those who were engaged in lawsuits against Scientology. Specifically with people who had hired Michael Flynn. The plan was to undermine Michael Flynn as much as possible by personally settling his cases without Flynn to get off on the cheap but more importantly, to get rid of the cases and get L Ron an ALL Clear now.

On the way back from the meeting I asked Vicki to tell me who was Paulette Cooper? She kind of laughed and rolled her eyes and looked at a person named Gary Klinger who was with us. Vicki explained to me Paulette was a journalist who had written an unfavorable book about Scientology back in the day. They both gave me a brief history of operation Freak Out and explained how the former Guardians Office got caught trying to set Paulette up. Somehow I got the idea both Vicki and Gary felt Paulette deserved a settlement because she had really been badly screwed over by the old Guardians Office.

As I read the part in Tony’s book about Marty setting up Lynn Farney to negotiate a settlement with Paulette I began to recall what Lynn looked like and the type of person he was. Sometimes he’d be the person to deliver the secret Intel notes from reports written by staff acting as Case Officers for field agents run by OSA. Lynn would sometimes come to the RTC office in the Blue building and brief RTC execs on the latest salacious Intel activities associated with legal cases we were following. I about fell out of my chair when I read Lynn had been the Bass player in the Tower of Power band out of Oakland, CA! I understand he wasn’t the Bass player for the band in its hay day but still, he must know something about playing Funk music to be in the band at any point. My opinion of Lynn went up a few notches!

The only other time I heard about Paulette Cooper was after I’d left Scientology for good. I held a position at a placed named after a person who was killed in Scientology named Lisa McPherson, the place where I worked was called the Lisa McPherson Trust located in Clearwater, FL. I don’t remember the exact circumstance but I remember talking to Paulette on the phone while working at the Trust. She encouraged me to keep up the good fight. That was all I ever really knew about Paulette until I read Tony’s book. Now all I can say is thank God for Tony because I would have never known or understood exactly who was Paulette Cooper?

First off, I think Tony’s book will instantly find a place among the classic books already written about the strange beginnings of Scientology: an intelligence operation enacted by a civilian that forcefully became recognized as a bona fide religion through the execution of military grade intelligence operations against agencies within the United States government which continues to this very day.

Tony has painstakingly detailed beginning in the 1950’s, L Ron’s prolific use of subterfuge to mislead others for personal gain. Yet despite all of the mystery knowledge and techniques L Ron thought he learned or knew, over and over again he and his fake military organizations for decades tried and failed to get rid of this one little Jewish lady born into a world where her kind were hunted and killed before she was born.

This is an amazing story of a petite powerhouse of a woman who has overcome decades of abuse from generations of Scientologist AFTER the Nazi cult in Germany tried and failed to capture and kill her in her childhood. Paulette’s story is so powerful I believe it can make an atheist believe in a higher power who has the final say!

While reading the book I’ve had the opportunity to meet and talk with Paulette over several occasions as she and Tony promote the book in the US and Canada. I am proud to know her and her wonderful husband Paul.

I appreciate the fact Tony was willing to write about how Scientology demands its victims hurt and bring harm to other innocent people. Some people can be judgmental about what others have done in the past at the behest of Scientology. As Tony points out, some people are unrepentant over the criminal activity, harm and pain they caused innocent people they never really knew or understood.

For decades, Scientology has hired outside professionals who have experience working for the Defense Departments of the United States military and have used “Industrial Strength” espionage tactics against average uneducated and unsuspecting public individuals often with the blessings of the local police whom Scientology often employ on the side. No one should feel like they are unforgivable for acting while under the evil spell of Scientology intelligence tactics. There are people who have worked for the United States and other governments who specialize in infiltration and takeover operations in foreign countries and cities as an act of war. Some of these trained, experienced people have been hired to work for and advise people in Scientology’s legal and intelligence networks. How is that fair or religious?

I think Tony has done an excellent job detailing the sophistication of the intelligence operations against this one lady Paulette Cooper. It is so apparent and proven over and over again Scientology will never change its tactics.
What is also sadly apparent is there is no one IN CHARGE on any level of government within the United States to curb Scientology’s reign of criminal activities which has gone on for decades now.

I recommend this book be purchased and given as a gift to anyone who works for or in law enforcement in every city in America and beyond.

Sincerely,
Jesse Prince

Source:
https://www.facebook.com/jesse.prince.754/posts/1111987162148784

How the Church of Scientology tried to bring down journalist Paulette Cooper, aka Miss Lovely

By Steve Cannane and Brigid Andersen, ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

As a journalist working in New York in the late '60s and early '70s, Paulette Cooper lived a glamorous life. She was young, beautiful and smart, and she was on the lookout for good stories. Cooper stumbled into Scientology when a friend joined the church.

"[He] told me he was Jesus Christ and then I went to the person who got him in and I said, 'He thinks he's Jesus Christ now, what's going on?'" she told Lateline. "This other guy said, 'Well maybe he really is.' "So I thought you know, maybe this would be something to investigate and that's how I started."

Cooper filed a piece for Queen magazine in London and the harassment started soon after. "I was in New York at the time and I picked up the phone and got the first of several death threats, and that's how I knew that the article had come out," she said.

<snipped>

Watch Steve Cannane's full report on Miss Lovely tonight on Lateline at 9:30 pm (AEST) on ABC News 24 or 10:30pm on ABC TV.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-17/how-scientology-tried-to-bring-down-miss-lovely/6627782

"In a statement, the church said it no longer operates in the way it did with Cooper and it has settled all outstanding claims with her."

So, they admit to these crimes! But they still have tax exemption?
Their statement IS true tho in a way, their tactics now include things like the Squirrel Busters and their Freedom Magazine. That is certainly a different.

and
"It also described Mr. Ortega as someone "who has used bigotry and false allegations about the Church of Scientology to create a cottage industry of hate".

Cue in Freedom Magazine again!

When these statements are made by the cult, someone should come right back ask them about the Squirrel Busters (which they admitted to) and the reason for Freedom Magazine. AND all the ambushes and harassment evidence by them that has been caught on video.
This would be a total win all around.
#1. they will most likely not respond back which will make them look worse
#2 Even if they do respond, the evidence gets to be seen by more of the general population and we all know their answers to why they were behind the Squirrel Busters and continue to do the smear campaign against any critics in Freedom mag will be so lame, everyone will see right through their filthy lies.

During the Q and A at the Toronto event it came up that the CoS continued to spy on Paulette Cooper well beyond the settlement. The Vanity Fair journalist who was revealed as an occasional Scientology spy (John Connolly, I believe) was in periodic contact with her and would solicit information on the latest Scientology-related goings on.

and yet they still have their tax exemption. IRS please start 'splainin!

let's not ever forget the hell they put Paulette through BECAUSE OF A FUCKING BOOK SHE WROTE.
So even though the cult lies about "no longer operating in the way they did"
It was over a fucking book!

Scientology = a cottage industry of brainwashing

Mile High and climbing: Chris Shelton helps us tell the tale of Scientology and ‘Miss Lovely’

By Chris Shelton, The Underground Bunker

When Tony Ortega announced his extended tour and that he was coming to Denver, I immediately wanted to do something to secure a location for him and make this a success. Having read The Unbreakable Miss Lovely, I knew this was a work that needed to get as wide a coverage as possible.

The Secular Hub is a group I belong to here in Denver, a sort of umbrella group for local atheists, skeptics, humanists and similar organizations that seek freedom from religion, enforcement of the separation of church and state, and who do volunteer work around town. They had hosted my talk about Scientology and were more than happy to host and promote Tony’s.

Continued with a video and comments here:
http://tonyortega.org/2015/07/19/mi...tell-the-tale-of-scientology-and-miss-lovely/

Palm Beach woman at center of explosive new book, 'The Unbreakable Miss Lovely' | Sun Sentinel

Last six paragraphs:

One expert on Scientology who was declared a "suppressive person" is Rick Alan Ross, a leading cult expert. Ross wrote "Cults Inside Out: How People Get In and Can Get Out" and said he has deprogrammed dozens of Scientologists as well as Waco Branch Davidian members before the 1993 raid.

"I deprogrammed a man who was a member of the Church of Scientology for 27 years," Ross said. "He was ready to divorce his wife and leave his entire family… I did an intervention that took a week. Usually they just take a few days."

Ross said he has conducted more than 500 interventions since 1982, but he said one that stands out in his mind is a 14-year-old girl. "The Church of Scientology wants young, healthy workers who could dedicate their lives to this cause," Ross said. "This young girl was bright and strong. Her older brother was involved with Scientology and recruited her. The church drew up papers to get custody of this girl."

Ross, who said he faced five years of litigation from the Church of Scientology, said he sees the church filing fewer lawsuits against media outlets these days. "The Internet has really helped a lot," Ross said. "Scientology's day of suppressing and controlling information is so old."

With Gibney's documentary based on Wright's book and Ortega's newest book, attention is turning to Cooper again as more of the mystery of Scientology unfolds.

"Tony [Ortega] is fearless," Ross said. "And the circle of completion on this is nothing short of poetic. Paulette was the first journalist to really write about this."

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/boca-raton/fl-brf-church-0715-20150720-story.html

Austin 360 Blog: Author of book on Scientology to visit Austin Saturday

http://books.blog.austin360.com/2015/07/20/author-of-book-on-scientology-to-visit-austin-saturday/

* * * * * BEGIN EXCERPT * * * * *

Ortega’s appearance is being sponsored by the Center for Inquiry-Austin. He’ll appear at 3 p.m. Saturday at Café Express, 3418 North Lamar Blvd.

* * * * * END EXCERPT * * * * *

Tony Ortega Discusses the Church of Scientology and Retaliation | Houston Press

Tony Ortega, a former editor of the Village Voice who became equally well known for his relentless pursuit of the Church of Scientology and its inner workings is in Houston today to talk about his research and to promote his book The Unbreakable Miss Lovely about Paulette Cooper, a critic of the church.

The Humanists of Houston are sponsoring the talk at the Fox and Hound, 11470 Westheimer, at 7 pm today. Ortega, who's now with TheLipTV, says Cooper who wrote one of the first books critical of Scientology in 1971 was spied upon by the Church which sued her repeatedly in the years that followed.

Ortega has himself experienced some of the the church's retaliatory tactics. "The New York Times recently confirmed that the Church of Scientology was behind an illegal hacking attack that sent a private investigator to prison, and that I was one of the targets of those attacks. Scientology could not have more succinctly proved the point of my book, that it has always engaged in dirty tricks against the people it considers enemies, and always will," he says.

Continued here:
http://www.houstonpress.com/arts/sc...s-his-book-retaliation-and-the-church-7611164

Friday: Tony Ortega Discusses His New Book On Scientology's Ruthless Tactics

By Michael Marks, San Antonio Current

The line between Scientology dogma and actual science fiction is blurry at times. But for those who have suffered through Scientology’s now-notorious tactics of bullying and intimidation, the rules that its members live by are all too real.

That's the conflict which drives Tony Ortega’s new book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely. Ortega, a former Village Voice editor and veteran of the Scientology beat, tells the story of Scientology’s campaign against Paulette Cooper, who wrote a scathing indictment of Scientology in the 1970s.

Ortega documents the death threats, lawsuits and other machincations by senior Scientology leadership meant to bring Cooper down. Ortega called the effort “one of the most sinister personal campaigns the free world has ever known,” driving Cooper to the brink of suicide.

Ortega has covered Scientology for over two decades. He now blogs at The Underground Bunker, and is executive editor of TheLipTV. He recently appeared in the Emmy-nominated 2015 film by Alex Gibney, Going Clear:Scientology and the Prison of Belief.

Ortega will appear at Folc/Park Social (226 E Olmos Dr., 210-822-0100) on Friday, July 24 at 6 p.m.

Source, with open comments:
www.sacurrent.com/Blogs/archives/2015/07/23/friday-tony-ortega-discusses-his-new-book-on-scientologys-ruthless-tactics

This is from Tony Ortega on Facebook tonight:

One of the things I was looking forward to was the chance to meet Mark "Warrior" Plummer on the last stop of my tour through Texas, in Austin. He's a legend for what he's dug up on Scientology going way back. And the Center for Inquiry once again put on a great event with a full room.

Mark Plummer wrote:

Cafe Express was packed with a great crowd of people who came to see and hear Tony Ortega today. I got to chat with many, many people I know, as well as with a few I never thought I would see. One of those I never expected to see is an old alt.religion.scientology contributor from 20+ years ago who shall remain anonymous. Tony's talk was riveting, and it was often humorous. An active Scientologist (and OT8), Richard Rucker, was seen sitting in the very back corner. I swear he was the only one in the room who never smiled. No surprise there. I arrived early so I could have a bit of time to chat with Tony and give him my hat. Thank you, Tony, for everything you have done and continue to do. We Austinites love you. You rock!!!

Source:
https://www.facebook.com/tony.ortega.1044/posts/861690713916889

Happy Birthday, Miss Lovely: A tribute to the dauntless and unbreakable Paulette Cooper

By Tony Ortega, The Underground Bunker

Last paragraph:

We asked Paulette for her thoughts on this occasion, and she sent us this: “It’s been a great year, especially going around this summer on the “Tony and Paulette” show talking to such warm and accepting audiences (except Freedom magazine’s John Sugg), meeting great Bunkerites (or is it Bunkaroos?), making new friends, seeing old ones, having people remember (and appreciate) what I did years ago, and seeing some of that come to fruition with the steady decline of my favorite cult.”

http://tonyortega.org/2015/07/26/ha...he-dauntless-and-unbreakable-paulette-cooper/