Mike Rinder and Claire Headley tie RTC to Scientology mayhem for Leah Remini lawsuit

[Mike Rinder 'handling' BBC's John Sweeney before his 2007 defection]

And here it is — the declarations from Mike Rinder and Claire Headley that should keep the Religious Technology Center in Leah Remini’s Scientology lawsuit.

If you remember, last week Judge Randolph Hammock overruled objections by RTC’s attorney Robert Mangels and said he’d allow a little time for Leah to submit these declarations before the court continues its examination of her lawsuit on February 6.

Leah originally filed her lawsuit on August 2, and Scientology’s attorneys have been attempting to derail the case with an anti-SLAPP and motion to strike. Mangels raised his objection last week, saying that Leah’s lawsuit didn’t show any connection between the Fair Game harassment campaign she says she’s been subjected to and RTC.

Judge Hammock pointed out that at this early stage of the game, Leah only needs to allege those connections — more thorough proof will have to come later in the process. Mangels wanted RTC mostly removed from the lawsuit because Leah had failed to make those allegations, but Hammock said he would give her time to submit new sworn statements that would spell out that connection between RTC and Leah’s harassment.

And wow, do Mike and Claire come through. This is the most thorough recitation we’ve ever seen about how Scientology leader David Miscavige and RTC oversee the church’s retaliation campaigns, and it should be useful for other plaintiffs and litigation in the future.

Leah is really making Mangels pay for speaking up.

First, here’s Mike’s statement…

COMES NOW, Mike Rinder, who hereby attests as follows:

1. My name is Mike Rinder, I am over the age of 21, and I have personal knowledge of the facts stated herein, which I declare are true and correct subject to the penalty for perjury.

2. I joined scientology staff in April 1973 at the age of eighteen and remained a a full time employee until June 2007.

3. Between 1982 and 2007 I was a senior official in the Church of Scientology International (CSI), the so-called mother church of Scientology. I was on the Board of Directors of CSI from its inception in 1982 until I escaped in 2007. During the majority of this time, I was the most senior official within CSI responsible for “external affairs,” meaning government and media relations, investigations and intelligence operations, dealing with “attackers” as well as all litigation and contract matters. These functions are performed by the Office of Special Affairs (“OSA”) and I was the head of OSA. In scientology’s hierarchical control structure, Religious Technology Center is in charge of OSA. A primary function of RTC is to ensure that Scientology directives, including “battle tactics” and other instructions for attacking those speaking out against Scientology, are properly executed. Based on my experience, the social media attacks and other assaults against Leah Remini are precisely the type of actions that RTC directs. David Miscavige is Chairman of the Board (“COB”), or the leader, of RTC.

4. Though a CSI employee, I answered exclusively to David Miscavige and Religious Technology Center, either directly to Miscavige or through his RTC representatives, primarily Mark (“Marty”) Rathbun and to a lesser extent Warren McShane and Mike Sutter. RTC directed my activities and I reported to one of the four named individuals above.

5. In my personal experience, Fair Game/campaigns against Suppressive persons — surveillance, harassing articles and posts, websites, efforts to deprive the subject of employment, and similar tactics ordered by RTC were closely supervised by Miscavige. Scientology devotes its virtually unlimited tax-exempt resources into campaigns designed to destroy anyone it perceives as an “enemy.” With billions of dollars at its disposal and an army of lawyers, private investigators, scientology staff members and public scientologists, it is a formidable and relentless machine designed to grind enemies into the ground — even entities like the IRS. Individuals coming up against this organization are invariably outspent and outmanned and often don’t have the resources to continue to fight for their rights. Scientology never stops, continuing to seek the destruction of their enemies, until as L. Ron Hubbard dictates [emphasis added]: “We must ourselves fight on the basis of total attrition of the enemy. So never get reasonable about him. Just go all the way in and obliterate him.“

6. Scientology, and specifically RTC through OSA, disseminates its attacks on “enemies” (suppressive persons) through numerous online social media accounts. Some of those accounts are officially identified with scientology, others are not openly affiliated with the organization, allowing it to keep a distance from their messages or make it appear that the smears are from “independent voices.” However, in my experience, all of those accounts are directed by RTC through OSA. The fact that their messages are nearly identical to those drafted and published overtly by scientology itself and directed at the same targets confirms their connection to scientology. When I was in OSA we created dozens of websites, anonymous/fake personas and online “handles” that were not directly connected to the organization which were used to spread smears and disinformation about “enemies.”

7. I have more than two decades of personal experience working for David Miscavige and under his direction as COB of RTC dealing with the most pressing “external affairs” matters — from the campaign to force the IRS to grant tax exempt status to silencing “attackers” and responding to media and numerous lawsuits. Miscavige has always maintained personal and direct control over situations he felt threatened his position of authority and power within the organization or anything that would harm his image. This highest priorities for me, as directed by David Miscavige were: a) matters relating to litigation where he was named as a defendant or could possible become a defendant, b) matters concerning scientology celebrities, c) matters pertaining to anyone who escaped the organization who had personal dealings with Miscavige and d) anything he felt threatened the well-being of scientology.

8. The OSA “Case Officers” who directed private investigators and other operatives reported only to me, and I forwarded the information they collected to Miscavige, Rathbun, McShane and Sutter. The information they collected and activities they directed were kept segregated from even others in OSA. This is pursuant to the written policy of the church on how to conduct covert investigations and operations.

9. I understand that defense counsel contends that RTC is a separate entity that is separate from the other Scientology entities that defame and attack Leah Remini. That is incorrect. Miscavige receives a daily report concerning every legal case, every media interaction and every investigation ongoing in the world. I prepared this briefing each day, the “OSA DR” (Office of Special Affairs Daily Report). It was sent to Marty Rathbun and David Miscavige via an encrypted email program. The report contained no indication who it was written by or who it was addressed to. There was a separate “Investigations Report” that I compiled with very limited distribution, including David Miscavige and Marty Rathbun. The “Invest Report” contained specifics of all ongoing activities of Private Investigators and intelligence operations against “attackers.” This was delivered in an unmarked, sealed envelope with no indication who it was from or who it was to, labeled “Secret — Eyes Only.” On hundreds of occasions David Miscavige specifically commented upon and issued orders to me based on information contained in the OSA Daily Report. When I was in a different location from Miscavige, he would call me on the phone every day first thing to direct what was to be done about matters raised in the OSA Daily Report (it was the first thing he looked at before even getting dressed in the morning) and he would call me again at the end of the day to ask if there was any other “significant news.” Some days, if there was an investigation or legal case or media matter that he was especially interested in, he would call me several times during the day. All staff in OSA knew that phone calls “from COB” were highest priority and any meetings or other matters were to be interrupted to take a “call from COB.” Staff in OSA Int saw me receive literally thousands of phone calls from “COB.” When we were in the same location, I would be summoned to his office at least once and often several times each day.

10. Each and every OSA Daily Report and Invest Daily Report that was produced daily from 1981 to the present is filed both in electronic and hard copy form at OSA. It is long-standing, firm, unalterable Scientology policy that every report generated by OSA is faithfully and securely kept on file for eternity. The files are considered to be the mind of the organization.

11. In addition, I was required to routinely report to Miscavige concerning ongoing matters he was interested in. Attached as Exh A is a true and correct copy of a report I wrote to Miscavige, with his handwritten response. It concerns the efforts to control (ideally stop) Rolling Stone reporter Janet Reitman from writing a negative piece about scientology. Note also, the ONLY people copied on this report are in RTC (COB Comm, Data RTC and D/IG Legal Affairs). I was reporting to David Miscavige that I was unable to quash the article, resulting in “entheta,” or something upsetting to a scientologist.

12. Attached as Exh B is a true and correct copy of a proposal I sent to COB RTC (David Miscavige) proposing to file a lawsuit against two former Sea Org members who had worked directly with Miscavige (Bruce Hines and Karen Schless). The intention was to use documents they had signed to get a court to issue an injunction against them speaking about their experiences with Miscavige and in scientology. Any matters concerning such people, who had direct personal contact with Miscavige, required his personal approval for ANY action to be taken with respect to them.

13. Also attached as Exh C is a true and correct copy of a declaration I filed in Monique Rathbun v. David Miscavige el al detailing, with extensive documentation attached, how David Miscavige micro-managed the efforts to prevent the BBC from airing a negative show about scientology.

14. In addition to the compartmented information and sensitive matters not being put in writing, a corporate structure is in place on paper intended to insulate Miscavige and RTC from any civil or criminal liability. I helped establish this structure starting in 1981, creating the different corporations of Scientology, including CSI and RTC. This structure served three purposes: making a legally defensible structure that the IRS could ultimately grant tax exempt status to, creating an impenetrable corporate shield to limit liability to Hubbard (and subsequently Miscavige) and protecting assets from judgments by litigants by locating them in different corporate entities than those that were in direct contact with the public.

15. I was directed by Miscavige personally on many, many different situations from lawsuits that he felt were important, to meeting with key media, to visiting with government officials, to directly running private investigators and intelligence operations.

16. Anything that happens relating to “major attacks” on Scientology is micro-managed by Miscavige. Nobody else has the authority to call any shots on anything that could threaten his position. Thus, for example, in 2005 when the Los Angeles Times planned to do a story on Scientology, Miscavige, the COB of RTC, directed every action, cleared all written correspondence (and wrote much of it even though it was sent out in my name), listened to recordings of the meetings I conducted with the reporters and spoke to me on the phone immediately before any meeting I had with them, during the meeting and immediately after. I would routinely excuse myself from meetings with the media to debrief to Miscavige. Between 1997 and 2004 often if I was recording a media interview Marty Rathbun would be sent along so he could be on the phone reporting in to Miscavige while I was being interviewed. This happened dozens of times.

17. The same patter occurred with investigations into what were labeled “anti-Scientologists” like Bob Minton — who for a time was the single biggest thorn in Miscavige’s side. Miscavige micro-managed the activities to put an end to Minton’s efforts. Miscavige called me numerous times a day for updates on Minton. For someone like Minton, or now Leah Remini, Miscavige requires detailed proposals from his underlings on the handlings to be taken. He in turn issues specific orders and responses.

18. That Miscavige and RTC are directly and personally involved with the campaign to silence Leah Remini is based on my personal experience with similar matters over 2 decades, but also made clear by the undisputed fact that Miscavige personally met with Ms. Remini on more than one occasion when she began to question activities within scientology. He sought to “handle” her face-to-face — he considered her that much of a threat.

19. Over the course of more than 20 years I knew the level of situation that Miscavige insisted he call the shots on: Any international media. Any legal case that might directly implicate or involve him. Any significant negotiations with major governments (US, UK, Spain) concerning tax exemption. Potential criminal prosecution in the United States. Anyone exposing his dirty laundry and threatening his PR or position. There is not a chance that any action would be taken concerning Leah Remini that was not either ordered by David Miscavige through RTC or sanctioned by him in response to a detailed proposal of action requested by him.

Executed in Pinellas County, State of Florida, on the 21st day of January 2024.

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Florid and the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct.

Mike Rinder

And now, here’s Claire’s declaration…

COMES NOW, Claire Headley, who hereby attests as follows:

1. My name is Claire Headley. I am over the age of 21.

2. From March 1996 to September 2004, I worked for David Miscavige and Religious Technology Center (also referred to as RTC), which is the highest organization in Scientology.

3. I have personal knowledge of the facts stated herein, which I declare to be true and correct, subject to the penalty for perjury.

4. I have been recognized as an expert on Scientology policies and testified as an expert in the Danny Masterson criminal case.

5. David Miscavige is the person who directs all activities of Scientology and its organizations. David Miscavige does this from his position as Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center. As Chairman of the Board of RTC, he also directs the activities of the Office of Special Affairs (known as OSA). OSA is the organization in Scientology that manages all legal and public affairs relating to Scientology.

6. One of the primary roles David Miscavige plays as head of RTC is the planning and supervision of campaigns intended to silence, muzzle, and destroy anyone who violates Scientology's policies, whether a former member of Scientology or not. If you violate Scientology's laws, you will land on RTC's list to silence you. Whether a whistleblower, journalist, a single mother, or a government agency, if you speak about Scientology without permission, write or suggest to write a story about Scientology that isn't to their liking, file a police report for a crime committed against you or another, reveal or report Scientology's practices and abuses, or provide a platform for victims of Scientology, you are at once a "Matter of RTC Concern" and you will be a target indefinitely, and may be lied to and about, silenced, destroyed, and obliterated.

7. David Miscavige does this from his position in RTC by directing OSA to execute campaigns against such people. These campaigns are intended to "destroy utterly" or "silence" by any means necessary.

8. During the years I worked directly for David Miscavige, I witnessed many meetings in which David Miscavige issued orders relating to silencing and muzzling high-profile whistleblowers who were attempting to expose criminal activities. During the years I spent in RTC, anyone who spoke publicly about Scientology was subjected to ruthless and unrelenting campaigns directed by RTC and intended to utterly destroy their professional and personal lives and silence them. I attended and personally witnessed many meetings David Miscavige had with Marty Rathbun, Warren McShane, Mike Rinder and other prominent executives in Scientology in which David Miscavige outlined what steps were to be taken to accomplish the goal of destroying and silencing those whistelblowers.

9. David Miscavige personally devised, supervised, directed, and was involved in these matters because they impacted the public perception, and thus (Scientologists believe) the survival of Scientology. This made them "Matters of RTC Concern."

10. I am personally familiar with the website for RTC, which communicates its role, its policies and calls to action for all Scientologists to report to RTC, any person, organization or agency who violates their laws. Based on my personal experience in growing up in Scientology as well as my personal experience working in RTC and with David Miscavige, exact compliance with all policies of Scientology is required and demanded at all times. Compliance with these policies is overseen by David Miscavige and RTC as the policing organization responsible for ensuring Scientology's laws are followed exactly. For example, if a person announced: "I have left Scientology," this is to be reported to RTC because the person has spoken publicly without Scientology's permission and has violated Scientology law and will be met with retaliation orchestrated by RTC.

11. RTC's website lists David Miscavige as the Chairman of the Board of RTC, which it describes as a "non-profit organization formed in 1982 to preserve, maintain and protect the Scientology religion." https://www.rtc.org/david-miscavige.html. The website includes a list of "Matters of RTC Concern," which includes Ethics, Technical, and Administrative Concerns. https://www.rtc.org/matters/index.html

12. The very first item on the list of RTC Ethics Concerns is: "Any suppressive act against Scientology or Scientologists asa listed in HCO PLs and HCOBs," which refers to Hubbard Communications Office Policy Letters and Bulletins. These are Scientology's policies that direct how to deal with suppressive acts. A suppressive act is any act deemed to violate Scientology's laws and is punishable by Scientology, for example criticizing a Scientology organization publicly is a suppressive act also known as a "High Crime."

13. Other Matters of RTC Concern listed on its website include:

— "Any anti-Scientology, anti-Source, anti-org or anti-Church management actions or intentions.

— Any person who is hypercritical of Scientology or the Church.

— Publicly departing Scientology.

— Public statements against Scientology or Scientologists but not to Committees of Evidence duly convened.

— Civil suits brought against a Scientology organization or Scientologist..."

14. RTC's website also includes an "RTC Electronic Report Form" for submitting reports relating to RTC Matters of Concern. The website directs: "There are certain matters of particular importance and concern to RTC as provided here on a detailed list. Whenever these occur, copies of your reports should also be sent to RTC. RTC's Inspector General Network uses such reports to help locate hidden suppression, infiltration, subversion or corruption within and external to Scientology Churches, Missions, and other Church organizations — to protect The Bridge for all."

15. Attached as Exhibit 1 is a true and correct copy of the releevant sections of RTC's website.

16. Amongst many other avenues used to destroy Scientology's enemies, David Miscavige, through his power as the Chairman of the Board of RTC and through his involvement in supervising OSA operations, directs the destruction of anyone who violates Scientology's laws and policies, including but not limited to use of the following methods:

— Use of private investigators to intimidate and place fear in the target.

— Placing people close to the whistleblower to covertly record them. For example, I witnessed Warren McShane listening to these covert recordings in the RTC conference room on many occasions. Warren McShane reported directly to David Miscavige.

— Use of high profile and/or celebrity Scientologists to impact the targets' livelihood and connections where possible.

— Use of websites and other social media posts.

— There are many other strategies and actions Scientology employs, all of which are directed by David Miscavige.

17. In my experience and based on my observations while in RTC, these campaigns directed by David Miscavige were relentless and extensive. In many cases, the campaigns were carried on for years, costing millions of dollars, until the goal was achieved of silencing the whistleblower.

18. Based on the fact that Scientology's attacks against suppressive persons are based on the unchangeable writings of L. Ron Hubbard and laid out in policies and directives that continue to be reflected on RTC's website, I believe that David Miscavige continues to direct RTC operations in this manner to this day. My understanding is also based on my experience in being the object of Fair Game attacks since I left Scientology.

19. I am aware that David Miscavige, through RTC, has ordered OSA to infiltrate message boards of the community of former Scientologists and Sea Org members who were exposing Scientology's abusive and criminal activities. RTC also would direct OSA to create websites on any enemy of Scientology to destroy their credibility, livelihood, professional and personal lives. Since I left Scientology, I have been the subject of social media campaigns carried out against me and my husband through Scientology and front groups and agents they hire. For example, as of this writing, we were informed today that Scientology is paying for Google ads to promote a hate website they created about myself and my husband in an attempt to destroy our reputation and livelihoods.

20. Based on my experience in RTC and Scientology campaigns, these campaigns would be directed by David Miscavige and RTC, per Scientology policies and directives. The operations activated by David Miscavige to silence his enemies are psychological warfare. The intent as laid out by OSA network orders is to hit the target from all sides. This is so that they quit exposing Scientology or advocating for victims of Scientology. It also is meant to send a message to deter any new victims, whistleblowers, or advocates from coming forward.

21. In my experience, based on Scientology policies, RTC, through OSA, directed Scientology members to report on any violations of Scientology's rules and policies and RTC Matters of Concern. For example, should a media outlet air a documentary about Scientology, Sea Org members and parishioners around the world would be told to write letters to the outlet and what to say in order to push outlet to pull what Scientology doesn't want shown. The orders on these RTC Matters of Concern are communicated to Scientology advisors at their local, individual Scientology organizations as "coming from command intention," which means Chairman of the Board, RTC, David Miscavige.

Executed in Douglas County, State of Colorado, on the 23rd day of January 2024.

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Colorado and the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct.

Claire Headley

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