The Church of Scientology’s Flag Building in Clearwater, Florida.
In its motion to strike the Declaration of Mike Rinder in the Baxter, Baxter and Paris v. David Miscavige et. al., Defendant Church of Scientology International cites the following reason as one of the reasons why Rinder’s Declaration should be struck:
While Mike Rinder is certainly a world expert on Scientology, it does not take an expert to establish the fact that RTC has an office in the Flag Building. This is because the RTC website itself states that RTC has an office in the Flag Building which is located at 215 South Fort Harrison Avenue, Clearwater, Florida. Because David Miscavige is Chairman of the Board of RTC, he would of course have an office in the Flag Building.
The RTC website establishes and confirms the veracity of Mike Rinder’s statement:
CSI’s objection here raises the question: How stupid can Scientology get?
Seriously.
Why would CSI bother raising this objection when RTC’s own website offers irrefutable proof that RTC has an office at the Flag Building?
The RTC website states that “Religious Technology Center and the RTC Inspector General Network exist to ensure the purity of the Scientology religion.” “Purity” apparently includes labor trafficking as alleged the Baxter, Baxter, and Paris complaint as well as the cover up of the rapes over which Danny Masterson is set for criminal trial in two days from this writing.
`This piece of Scientology legal lunacy reminds us of the 2014 Rathbun v. Miscavige et. al. case in which Scientology’s lawyer Lamot Jefferson kept objecting to Monique Rathbun’s attorney Ray Jeffrey calling David Miscavige by his proper Sea Org title of Captain David Miscavige. See our article: How Dare You Call Captain Miscavige “Captain Miscavige!
Below is a sample from the deposition of Ensign Alan Cartwright, the Sea Org Legal Officer for the Church of Scientology in Rathbun v. Miscavige. We direct the reader’s attention to the section in which Rathbun’s attorney Ray Jeffrey mentions Captain David Miscavige to Sea Org member Ensign Allan Cartwright:
…Q. (By Mr. Jeffrey) Item No. 2 is related in — it’s the same sort of category, but it relates to Captain David Miscavige instead of just RTC. Do you see that?
A. I see that. I object to the fact that you’re calling him Captain David Miscavige. I don’t know him as such.
Q. Is he a captain?
A. I’m an ensign. I’m not called Ensign Allan Cartwright when I walk — when I’m — when I’m in my office, and so it’s — it’s not correct to say Captain David Miscavige. He’s Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board RTC.
Q. I realize you have a reason for wanting that to be, but he does carry the rank captain, and therefore, may be referred to as captain.
A. The only person that refers to him as captain is yourself, Mr. Jeffrey. No one else in the church refers to him as captain.
Q. Is that because the Office of Special Affairs, in its dealing with external matters, like lawsuits and investigations, wants to de-emphasize the role of the Sea Org within the church organization?
MR. STRIEBER: Objection, form.
THE WITNESS: I don’t — can’t even — I don’t know how to even answer that question. It’s not true, whatever you’re saying.
Q. (By Mr. Jeffrey) Whatever it is I’m saying, it’s not true?
A. What — what you’re saying is incorrect because there’s no de-emphasizing. The Sea Org is what the Sea Org is.
Q. Okay. Do you have knowledge of Captain Miscavige’s contacts with the State of Texas and the allegations in his special appearance?
MR. STRIEBER: Objection, form.
THE WITNESS: I have knowledge of Mr. Miscavige’s whatever contacts — the contacts — contacts there are in the State of Texas.
Q. (By Mr. Jeffrey) Okay. How often do you meet with Captain Miscavige?
A. I haven’t met with Mr. Miscavige for — not that often. It’s not that often. He deals with matters concerning orthodox and religion, I deal with external affairs. There’s not really an activity that creates meetings.
Q. And you’re working in Los Angeles, and he’s often not even in the same city as you; is that fair?
A. I don’t keep track of where he is.
Captain David Miscavige is the leader of Scientology’s secretive paramilitary Sea Organization. The Sea Org reportedly has 5,000 members.
Q. Okay. So, how would you know what his contacts are with the State of Texas if you’re not in his presence by his side on a daily basis?
A. I know with regards to — I’ve gathered knowledge with regards to CSI’s knowledge as to his contacts in the State of Texas.
Q. And what — what have you gathered?
A. Well, I know he attended a — the church opening in Dallas, that’s what I’ve gathered.
Q. Okay. But, if he’s on the phone every day for two hours a day dealing with matters related to the State of Texas, you have no knowledge one way or the other, do you?
A. No, nor would any other person from CSI.
Captain David Miscavige in what appears to be his Scientology War Room. We note the keyboard and microphone on the glass table. Does the Captain gives orders to his global forces from this microphone?
Q. What sort of reporting flows from OSA to Captain Miscavige?
(Scientology Money Project Note: MR. JEFFERSON next speaks. He is Lamont Jefferson, David Miscavige’s attorney. Lamont Jefferson’s brother is Wallace Jefferson, the former Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court. Justice Jefferson retired and is now representing Captain David Miscavige and the Church in this Texas case. Scientology always hires the best and most expensive lawyers. Former insiders report that Scientology spends millions of dollars per month on legal expenses.)
Lamont Jefferson, Esq of Haynesboone, San Antonio, Texas
MR. JEFFERSON: Is it too much to ask that you not refer to him in that manner?
MR. JEFFREY: Yes.
MR. JEFFERSON: Well, it’s my client and I’m going to ask that you not, as a matter of courtesy. The witness has told you no one referred to him like that but you. It’s harassment, it’s argumentative, so I’m going to ask that you not do it. Are you going to —
MR. JEFFREY: I will continue to refer to him as Captain Miscavige.
MR. JEFFERSON: Why is it — what is it that you’re going to do that, Mr. Jeffrey?
MR. JEFFREY: Because — because we have laid this out in our pleadings and in declarations. His authority within the Church of Scientology to control every last aspect of the church comes from his rank as captain.
MR. JEFFERSON: You can refer to him in a manner that is respectful and civil and not one that serves your own ends.
MR. JEFFREY: Well —
MR. JEFFERSON: And if you continue to do it, I will continue to object and I will speak up.
MR. JEFFREY: Okay. You may have a running objection, if you like.
MR. JEFFERSON: No, I will speak up.
MR. JEFFREY: Okay. That’s fine. I’ve lost my — what was my last question?
MR. DUNAGAN: That you were through.
MR. JEFFREY: I think I — I think I said that — that concludes the deposition.
MR. DUNAGAN: Yes.
MR. JEFFREY: Okay. I have it.
Q. (By Mr. Jeffrey) What sort of reporting flows from OSA to Captain Miscavige himself?
A. Again, I’m just going to tell you, his name is not Captain Miscavige, it’s Mr. Miscavige, or you can call him COB RTC, which is what I know him as.
Q. You know him as COB, don’t you?
A. That’s correct.
Q. And what’s a COB order?
A. What’s a COB order?
Q. Yes.
A. I don’t know what a COB order is. Sorry, I don’t know.
Q. Have you ever received a COB order?
A. No.
Q. Have you ever filed or responded with a compliance report?
A. No.
Q. You’ve never heard, in your 30-year career with the Church of Scientology, of a COB order?
A. No.
Q. Does Captain Miscavige regularly issue orders to personnel that are delivered in writing, and then the personnel must respond to the order with what’s called a compliance report?
A. I’m, again, going to say that his name is not Captain Miscavige.
MR. JEFFERSON: I’m going to — I’m going to join in that objection. He is not referred to as Captain Miscavige by anybody but you. You’re using it in a derisive manner to serve your own needs, to serve your own purposes in this deposition, and I’m going to speak up every time you do, okay?
MR. JEFFREY: Okay.
MR. JEFFERSON: If you can point to one other place in the public where Mr. Miscavige is referred to as Captain, I’ll —
MR. JEFFREY: In the public?
MR. JEFFERSON: Any — any other public forum where Mr. Miscavige is referred to as captain, bring it, let’s take a look at it. Otherwise, it is you being insulting and for no other purpose, and it is improper in this deposition.
MR. JEFFREY: It is insulting to refer to someone by his rank, which is the highest rank within the organization?
MR. JEFFERSON: It is improper to refer to somebody in a manner in which they do not wish to be referred. It’s not your call. You can’t just call him devil Miscavige, or any other name that is insulting or is — or is derogatory.
MR. JEFFREY: It is derogatory —
MR. JEFFERSON: In your — in your — MR. JEFFREY: — to call him Captain?
MR. JEFFERSON: Or that is not in your interest.
MR. JEFFREY: I don’t understand how it’s insulting or derogatory to call someone by the highest rank within a multinational organization from which he derives his authority.
MR. JEFFERSON: Totally depends upon your intent in using the term, doesn’t it?
MR. JEFFREY: That is my intent, to communicate the real authority.
MR. JEFFERSON: Your intent is to argue, your intent to is to use the term to argue your position. That is not how he’s referred to by anybody
but you. And I’m not going to allow it without speaking up. I’m going to speak up every time.
MR. JEFFREY: Well, we will demonstrate very clearly in the case from numerous witnesses that he is referred to as Captain Miscavige, so I have no qualms whatsoever about referring to him as Captain Miscavige and —
MR. JEFFERSON: I’m asking that you not —
MR. JEFFREY: — it’s nothing out of order.
MR. JEFFERSON: — refer to my client in that manner and every time that you do, I will interrupt.
MR. JEFFREY: Okay. Well, we’ll — if you’re going to persist in interrupting, then we’ll just have to shut down the deposition and go get a ruling from the court.
MR. JEFFERSON: That’s your choice.