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Scientology Settles with Debbie Cook

LA SCN

NOT drinking the kool-aid
(Also posted here: How Debbie Cook Exposed Scientology and Got Away Scot-Free)

I'll stick with my posting here:

http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthrea...l=1#post683124

I read Tonys' article a couple days ago with attorney Scott Pilutiks' speculation on the settlement.

I disagree and the opinion of my legal expert disagrees.

Two reasons for the church to settle right away are:

1) The testimony from Debbie was a PR nightmare just when the church was promoting itself and its wonderful approach to Human Rights via the newly opened Inglewood Ideal Org combined with its new alliance with Rev. Farrakhans' Nation of Islam. The church is angling for government funding for new members to do services. Bad press could kill that dead.

2) No fucking way that any churchies take the stand, especially the Midget. With Debbie and M&M aiding Jeffrey with his questioning, there would have been damaging to the church truth or provable perjury. This Texas court of law is not Anderson Cooper and the Stepford Wives. Notice the church settled before producing a single person for deposition. And remember Debbie had counter-sued that the NDA was signed under duress - the church wanted no part of that fight and the probable witness list testifying for Debbies' cause.

The Church wanted this to go away NOW NOW NOW. Their age old tactic of burying the opposition in filings and requests never got to come into play.

They failed to follow LRH policy and ruin Debbie Cook utterly.

The court Scientology knew it was getting beat to shite in is the Court of Public Opinion. Which loss negatively affects their future income.

A friend of mine, OT5 and still in the church before the Cook flap, is now out and everyone he knows that was on lines is now out.

Those who think the church brought pressure on Debbie to fold with their typical dirty tricks are forgetting that any comm she would have had with a church terminal would have been with Jeffrey present. I'm sure he knows blackmail when he sees it and blackmail is illegal.

And for those who say all the damning testimony had been already been given, bollocks! The church did not even want to give voice to the potential witness parade in Debbies' countersuit.

So the church was applying older policy to this: Cut your losses, let your profits run.

So, I'm staying with this analysis and I'm betting their losses include a chunk of change for Debbie Cook but that agreement is required to be undisclosed per the terms of the Permanent Injunction.
 

Thrak

Gold Meritorious Patron
(Also posted here: How Debbie Cook Exposed Scientology and Got Away Scot-Free)

I'll stick with my posting here:

http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthrea...l=1#post683124

I read Tonys' article a couple days ago with attorney Scott Pilutiks' speculation on the settlement.

I disagree and the opinion of my legal expert disagrees.

Two reasons for the church to settle right away are:

1) The testimony from Debbie was a PR nightmare just when the church was promoting itself and its wonderful approach to Human Rights via the newly opened Inglewood Ideal Org combined with its new alliance with Rev. Farrakhans' Nation of Islam. The church is angling for government funding for new members to do services. Bad press could kill that dead.

2) No fucking way that any churchies take the stand, especially the Midget. With Debbie and M&M aiding Jeffrey with his questioning, there would have been damaging to the church truth or provable perjury. This Texas court of law is not Anderson Cooper and the Stepford Wives. Notice the church settled before producing a single person for deposition. And remember Debbie had counter-sued that the NDA was signed under duress - the church wanted no part of that fight and the probable witness list testifying for Debbies' cause.

The Church wanted this to go away NOW NOW NOW. Their age old tactic of burying the opposition in filings and requests never got to come into play.

They failed to follow LRH policy and ruin Debbie Cook utterly.

The court Scientology knew it was getting beat to shite in is the Court of Public Opinion. Which loss negatively affects their future income.

A friend of mine, OT5 and still in the church before the Cook flap, is now out and everyone he knows that was on lines is now out.

Those who think the church brought pressure on Debbie to fold with their typical dirty tricks are forgetting that any comm she would have had with a church terminal would have been with Jeffrey present. I'm sure he knows blackmail when he sees it and blackmail is illegal.

And for those who say all the damning testimony had been already been given, bollocks! The church did not even want to give voice to the potential witness parade in Debbies' countersuit.

So the church was applying older policy to this: Cut your losses, let your profits run.

So, I'm staying with this analysis and I'm betting their losses include a chunk of change for Debbie Cook but that agreement is required to be undisclosed per the terms of the Permanent Injunction.

I tend to agree the uh "church" wanted this to go away big time. I am curious about possible cash to DC. We may never know.
 

ILove2Lurk

Lisbeth Salander
So, I'm staying with this analysis and I'm betting their losses include a chunk of change for Debbie Cook but that agreement is required to be undisclosed per the terms of the Permanent Injunction.

LA SCN, I think you're 100% on the money! :coolwink: Your whole post actually start to finish! :clap:

That's a pretty good analysis of the situation, IMO.

I'm swimming against the tide compared to what a lot of people are thinking and posting all over, but I think it cost at least $5-7 million to seal this deal.

If anyone else thinks she went away for no money, well all I can say is think about getting your money concept a bit higher. :eyeroll:

The cost of doing business today, a ton of money at stake (off shore reserves and more), and impact on future cash flows. A few million is bupkis considering the big picture.

She went away far too quickly and quietly. And LA SCN, you nailed it.

ILove2Lurk

It's all about the bling bling . . . oh yeah. :biggrin:


debbie-portrait-256x300.jpg
Bling-Glitters-3.gif
 
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LA SCN

NOT drinking the kool-aid
I'm swimming against the tide compared to what a lot of people are thinking and posting all over, but I think it cost at least $5-7 million to seal this deal.

The cost of doing business today, a ton of money at stake (off shore reserves and more), and impact on future cash flows. A few million is bupkis considering the big picture.
ILove2Lurk

I agree with you on the money figures. After legal fees and taxes Debbie would not have been wise to settle for any less than that.

In the US now with its economic scene any less than a BIG structured payout would be nothing more than chump change.
 

Mick Wenlock

Admin Emeritus (retired)
(Also posted here: How Debbie Cook Exposed Scientology and Got Away Scot-Free)

I'll stick with my posting here:

http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthrea...l=1#post683124

I read Tonys' article a couple days ago with attorney Scott Pilutiks' speculation on the settlement.

I disagree and the opinion of my legal expert disagrees.

Two reasons for the church to settle right away are:

1) The testimony from Debbie was a PR nightmare just when the church was promoting itself and its wonderful approach to Human Rights via the newly opened Inglewood Ideal Org combined with its new alliance with Rev. Farrakhans' Nation of Islam. The church is angling for government funding for new members to do services. Bad press could kill that dead.

2) No fucking way that any churchies take the stand, especially the Midget. With Debbie and M&M aiding Jeffrey with his questioning, there would have been damaging to the church truth or provable perjury. This Texas court of law is not Anderson Cooper and the Stepford Wives. Notice the church settled before producing a single person for deposition. And remember Debbie had counter-sued that the NDA was signed under duress - the church wanted no part of that fight and the probable witness list testifying for Debbies' cause.

The Church wanted this to go away NOW NOW NOW. Their age old tactic of burying the opposition in filings and requests never got to come into play.

They failed to follow LRH policy and ruin Debbie Cook utterly.

The court Scientology knew it was getting beat to shite in is the Court of Public Opinion. Which loss negatively affects their future income.

A friend of mine, OT5 and still in the church before the Cook flap, is now out and everyone he knows that was on lines is now out.

Those who think the church brought pressure on Debbie to fold with their typical dirty tricks are forgetting that any comm she would have had with a church terminal would have been with Jeffrey present. I'm sure he knows blackmail when he sees it and blackmail is illegal.

And for those who say all the damning testimony had been already been given, bollocks! The church did not even want to give voice to the potential witness parade in Debbies' countersuit.

So the church was applying older policy to this: Cut your losses, let your profits run.

So, I'm staying with this analysis and I'm betting their losses include a chunk of change for Debbie Cook but that agreement is required to be undisclosed per the terms of the Permanent Injunction.

This debate reminds me of Deep Thought, Majikthise and Vroomfondel

"Yes," declaimed Deep Thought, "I said I'd have to think about it, didn't I? And it occurs to me that running a programme like this is bound to create an enormous amount of popular publicity for the whole area of philosophy in general. Everyone's going to have their own theories about what answer I'm eventually to come up with, and who better to capitalize on that media market than you yourself? So long as you can keep disagreeing with each other violently enough and slagging each other off in the popular press, you can keep yourself on the gravy train for life. How does that sound?"

The two philosophers gaped at him.

"Bloody hell," said Majikthise, "now that is what I call thinking. Here Vroomfondel, why do we never think of things like that?"

"Dunno," said Vroomfondel in an awed whisper, "think our brains must be too highly trained Majikthise."

So saying, they turned on their heels and walked out of the door and into a lifestyle beyond their wildest dreams.
 

LA SCN

NOT drinking the kool-aid
This debate reminds me of Deep Thought, Majikthise and Vroomfondel

You mean like this?


From: http://lordmatt.co.uk/item/1296/

How to be Blog Famous: the dance of Vroomfondel and Majikthise

The dance of Vroomfondel and Majikthise a game for 2 or more bloggers.

The aim of this game is to never rich a conclusion and to argue the most intresting point of view that you can come up with. In doing so one violently disagrees with one's dance partner and ensures that one carefully slags them off in the popular press. Thus keeping you both on the gravey train for life!

For this game you will need: a topic of interest, two opposing views, decent publicity agents (or spare time) and thick skin.

How to play:

"Yes," declaimed Deep Thought, "I said I'd have to think about it, didn't I? And it occurs to me that running a programme like this is bound to create an enormous amount of popular publicity for the whole area of philosophy in general. Everyone's going to have their own theories about what answer I'm eventually to come up with, and who better to capitalize on that media market than you yourself? So long as you can keep disagreeing with each other violently enough and slagging each other off in the popular press, you can keep yourself on the gravy train for life. How does that sound?"

For those of you who have slept through the last 42 years here is what you missed: Not a lot aside that is from the works of Douglas Adams in whose epic fiction Vroomfondel and Majikthise reprisenting philosiphers everywhere try to stop the computer Deep Thought from giving the answer to the ultimate question to life the universe and everything.

The answer, it turned out (a few million years later) was 42 which was only strange because no one know what the question was.

In all the time while the answer was being worked out Vroomfondel and Majikthise were able, through the dance that carries their name, to be the most entertaining and intersting pundits in history. It takes two to tango so go find your opposite numbers and let's get famouse.

The music is playing and the dance floor is filling up...


:eyeroll: :biggrin:
 

GoNuclear

Gold Meritorious Patron
I agree with you on the money figures. After legal fees and taxes Debbie would not have been wise to settle for any less than that.

In the US now with its economic scene any less than a BIG structured payout would be nothing more than chump change.

A structured settlement? Perhaps we will see Debbie back in her SeaOgre outfit, singing along with all the other costumed people on the bus in the latest J. G. Wentworth commercial, as in "If you have a structured settlement but you need cash now ..."

It's YOUR money, use it when YOU need it!!!!

Pete
 

GoNuclear

Gold Meritorious Patron
I agree with you on the money figures. After legal fees and taxes Debbie would not have been wise to settle for any less than that.

In the US now with its economic scene any less than a BIG structured payout would be nothing more than chump change.

Income taxes are not paid on damages. Assuming the low figure discussed here of 5 million, after the lawers are paid, that would come to approx. $3,330,000. There are plenty of neighborhoods that if you can get into at all for that price, it would be "entry level" for the area. Of couse, if it was me, I would get seriously outbacked on the better part of 1000 acres, perhaps the Michigan upper penninsula,
with everything needed to be 100% off the grid.

Pete
 

Mick Wenlock

Admin Emeritus (retired)
Income taxes are not paid on damages. Assuming the low figure discussed here of 5 million, after the lawers are paid, that would come to approx. $3,330,000. There are plenty of neighborhoods that if you can get into at all for that price, it would be "entry level" for the area. Of couse, if it was me, I would get seriously outbacked on the better part of 1000 acres, perhaps the Michigan upper penninsula,
with everything needed to be 100% off the grid.

Pete


Well Pete - if it is structured contract it is not necessarily damages. Of course we aint likely to find out either.

Surprisingly enough I would do something similar to your plan. Though it would be Colorado on our property now - we are working slowly to move off grid. This year hoping to have our well and cooling system on solar power, next year the two freezers.
 

Feral

Rogue male
Well Pete - if it is structured contract it is not necessarily damages. Of course we aint likely to find out either.

Surprisingly enough I would do something similar to your plan. Though it would be Colorado on our property now - we are working slowly to move off grid. This year hoping to have our well and cooling system on solar power, next year the two freezers.

Where we live everyone catches their own water, kills their own meat and many aren't connected to power. Solar and batteries do most things with a back up generator. The big wattage thing is heating and cooking, so they have old fashioned wood stoves that heat the water through a "donkey". House heating is the same, with endless supplies of fire wood it's pretty cheap. If you go hard you can cut around 4 tonnes of good wood in a day.
 

Terril park

Sponsor
Where we live everyone catches their own water, kills their own meat and many aren't connected to power. Solar and batteries do most things with a back up generator. The big wattage thing is heating and cooking, so they have old fashioned wood stoves that heat the water through a "donkey". House heating is the same, with endless supplies of fire wood it's pretty cheap. If you go hard you can cut around 4 tonnes of good wood in a day.

Solar has come along in leaps and bounds. In the UK one gets subsidies that make it a great investment.

Mick majors on good conversation and Pizza. Sadly there are no trees there. :(
 

LA SCN

NOT drinking the kool-aid
Where we live everyone catches their own water, kills their own meat and many aren't connected to power. Solar and batteries do most things with a back up generator. The big wattage thing is heating and cooking, so they have old fashioned wood stoves that heat the water through a "donkey". House heating is the same, with endless supplies of fire wood it's pretty cheap. If you go hard you can cut around 4 tonnes of good wood in a day.

Good stuff that. I once lived in a cold winter area and used wood heat exclusively. A thermostatically controlled damper wood stove gave excellent heat through the house - one time it hit 30 below outside yet it maintained 70 inside. Woodcutting got me out in the woods which I loved.
 

Ogsonofgroo

Crusader
Is it an established fact that Cook is getting money, or is this all just speculation?

It is not.

Yes it is.

Read the village voice article and comments from a couple of the legal-eagles, and following comments, it'll put things into good perspective with very little room for speculation.
My opinion.
 
Speculation. Although LA SCN has presented the best case in support of her getting money, I remain skeptical.

I think many don't want to believe that she didn't get paid off.

Agreed. Even if she did receive a cash payment I doubt very much that it would have gone much beyond her breaking even on the experience, if even so far as that. The talk of millions is pure marsh gas. She's lucky to be out of it.


Mark A. Baker
 
He f**king kidnapped her! Imprisoned her! Physically abused her! That point keeps getting over looked - he could have done time in the slammer for that stunt. Ray made a big point of making sure that s**t got rubbed in Davie's nose. Between her statements in court, her statements to the papers, her interview on national TV, the list of "is licking floors part of Scientology religion" questions, Ray made quite sure Dave got the message: Drag this out and you can expect more "entheta". He paid. My bet is big time.

Mimsey
 

Lone Star

Crusader
Ray made quite sure Dave got the message: Drag this out and you can expect more "entheta". He paid. My bet is big time.

Mimsey

Speculation. I'm sorry but that's the truth. Her testimony wasn't enough in and of itself to win the case. It wasn't guaranteed that anyone would corroborate her testimony. There was still a good chance that the judge would've ruled, "I'm sorry if you went through hell Ms. Cook, but I see a video of you calmly signing the agreement that you violated. Judgement goes to the plaintiff."

Ray did a good job of ending this quickly before it got potentially ugly for his client. Part of that strategy was having her testify about her experiences. It ended the first round of the fight. His role was not about making a stand against DM. His job was to represent his client. Period. Not to be a crusader for the Indys or the critics.

But, all said and done, the cult lost in the court of public opinion.
 
He f**king kidnapped her! Imprisoned her! Physically abused her! That point keeps getting over looked - he could have done time in the slammer for that stunt. ...

Got evidence?

Didn't think so.

This was a civil trial NOT a criminal one. Criminal penalties weren't on the agenda and had nothing to do with the case. They require a higher standard of evidence.


Mark A. Baker
 
You are missing the point - I know it is a civil trial, and unless she files a claim with the Riverside PD, it is moot. I also know the instant case is about the NDA and the alleged violation. However that may be, David has a serious PR problem if this case goes forward. It is in his best interest to make it go away. If you look at all of the steps Ray has taken, what he had her reveal in court, etc. etc. and think about why he did it, the answer becomes really obvious.

The point was never whether Ray could win the case of the NDA in court or not, it was doing a quick Tactical PR blitz to give Dave a taste of what he could expect if he went forward with the suit. Dave has big time image problems. What would happen if it went to court, after Ray tore into Dave's witnesses in depositions, with help from M&M to make sure his questions hit home and dug up a bunch of crap. Data on who is on the hole, how long, what sort of security she was under in FL, on and on - it is a PR nightmare.

As soon as Dave got the message, he unlocked his piggy bank. Just look at the obvious. Look at each of the steps Ray did and ask your self: Why did he do that? Why the quick media blitz that shut off almost as quickly as it started? Why release the "do you still beat your wife" questions to the VV? And, why those specific questions? What is their intent? Why release the bit about the surveillance of his offices? Why have her testify she was in a barrel of cold water while being abused? Why testify she was in a lock-down situation? Why have her testify she would have signed anything to get out of there? Why testify Wayne didn't take his check?

Each action he did for a reason. Every word she said he authorized. It wasn't for the hell of it. Why did he do them? Remember that old saw: Actions speak louder than words.

Sorry if I come across as antago - I have a hard time believing it isn't obvious what went down in Texas.

Mimsey
 
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