It’s not every day that we get to hear directly from David Miscavige, the leader of the Church of Scientology.
When we see or hear his words, it tends to be in speeches that he gives to other Scientologists at church events. We also suspect that he often writes some of the public pronouncements that Scientology puts out under the name of its international spokeswoman, Karin Pouw. But words for public consumption under Miscavige’s own signature are very rare, and tend only to occur in court declarations. As far as we can tell, the last one he made was in 1999.
And that’s why we think it’s a pretty big deal that this week, Miscavige submitted a declaration in the lawsuit filed August 16 by Monique Rathbun, a lawsuit which alleges that Miscavige and Scientology have orchestrated a four-year harassment campaign against her simply because she is married to Mark “Marty” Rathbun, who was once Miscavige’s top lieutenant before he became an outspoken critic of the church.
Miscavige this week denied that he has anything to do with the state of Texas or the allegations in the lawsuit, and his attorneys argue that for that reason, he should be dismissed from it. And we have the docs.
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (CN) - Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige harassed and intimidated the wife of the church's former No. 2 official so badly he drove her from her South Texas home and into seclusion - where he found her again, the woman claims in court.
Plaintiff Monique Rathbun, 41, claims the "notorious multi-billion dollar cult" worked around the clock for three years to destroy her after her husband, once Scientology's No. 2 man, spoke out against Miscavige.
Rathbun sued Miscavige, Steven Gregory Sloat, Monty Drake, the Religious Technology Center and the Church of Scientology in Comal County Court.
In 2009 her husband spoke out "against Mr. Miscavige's criminal mistreatment of Scientology clergy," Rathbun says in the complaint.
Since then she says: "She has been harassed, insulted, surveilled, photographed, videotaped, defamed, and humiliated to such a degree as to shock the conscience of any decent, law-abiding person. She has been subjected to numerous, aggressive attempts to intimidate her. Each and all of the defendants have participated enthusiastically in this abuse, without regard to Mrs. Rathbun's basic rights as a human being. She has been
INGLESIDE ON THE BAY -- You may have heard of the Church of Scientology. Tom Cruise, Kirstie Alley and Lisa Marie Presley are just a few famous names tied into the church. Now, a lawsuit underway against the church filed in Comal County has some strong ties to Ingleside on the Bay.
The court granted a temporary restraining order to the woman suing the church. She claims for 199 days Scientology operatives harassed her at her home in the Coastal Bend.
Part of that alleged harassment is caught on this video, posted on YouTube. "What do you have to say about that Marty, how about that," asks a man with a camera strapped to his head. "I don't have anything to say to an unidentified punk who comes with 4 people to my door," Rathbun responds.
Mrs. Rathbun says in her affidavit that Scientologists and people associated with them would try and aggressively interrogate her in front of her Ingleside on the Bay home. The San Patricio County Sheriff's Department does confirm filing at least ten reports and responding to numerous other calls.
We did make several calls to the Church of Scientology today. They called back to ask why we're running the story before issuing a short statement via email, "There is no merit to the allegations and we are looking forward to prevailing in court."
News of this lawsuit is growing...
Former Ingleside by the Bay Resident Suing Church of Scientology
Excerpts:
And..Scientology/Co$ responds:
Link to entire KRISTV's/Janine Reyes' article: http://www.kristv.com/news/former-ingleside-by-the-bay-resident-suing-church-of-scientology/#_





:dancer:



the absolute squirrel in me is wondering what a handwriting analyst makes of Davey's signature... ok, kidding... I don't squirrel tech, I threw it all away! But, I'm actually curious for some odd reason...
n a stunning, if predictable, move, late yesterday the Church of Scientology asked Comal County, Texas Judge Dib Waldrip to disqualify Monique Rathbun’s attorneys and cripple her harassment lawsuit because, the church says, Monique’s attorney Ray Jeffrey and his team improperly used “confidential and attorney client privileged information” when it allowed Marty Rathbun to submit an affidavit in his own wife’s lawsuit.
Scientology is asking Judge Waldrip to consider the motion Thursday morning, along with other matters in what is becoming a crowded two-day hearing in New Braunfels, Texas.
NEW POSTS WILL APPEAR HERE…
7:57 am
Still a little dark here in New Braunfels this morning, and not quite 70 degrees, but it will get over 90 later today. Last night at the Pour Haus on San Antonio Street the temperature was just right for a beer on the patio.
While trying to figure out what moves the church might make in this case, the Bunker passed on a suggestion we’d heard from an attorney, that this case was so possibly toxic, one option Scientology might actually consider is simply defaulting and walking away. In that case the judge would then assign damages. Perhaps it’s better just to write a check and be done with it, we said. But our drinking companion, a savvy journalist, thought that was unlikely because it would mean giving money to Monique Rathbun and, by extension, Marty Rathbun.
Tony Ortega is on the ground to report on the proceedings today, there should be good stuff for me to read in the morning. I wonder if Miss Cabbage will show?
http://tonyortega.org/2013/09/12/li...-vs-scientology-temporary-injunction-hearing/
