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Has Scientology Leader David Miscavige Been Trying To Silence CNN's Anderson Cooper?

Author: Dawn Olsen
Published: March 25, 2010 at 1:17 pm


Yesterday I posted a story regarding a week-long investigative series CNN's Anderson Cooper was airing starting Monday, March 29th. According to the press release and now a blog post on Anderson's own 360 blog, the focus of the series will be allegations of violence perpetrated on Scientology members at its highest level. Here's an excerpt from the press release:

The week-long series, Scientology: A History of Violence, will examine allegations that Scientology leader David Miscavige has for years beaten, kicked and choked top members of the church. These are allegations the church aggressively denies, saying violence from inside came from those making the claim.

Anderson Cooper will speak with former, high ranking members from the Church's inner circle, who says the David Miscavige not only carried out, but encouraged the culture of violence at the highest levels of the church management. Cooper will also speak with members who claim extreme hardships, and some say intimidation, the church imposes on anyone who decides to leave and speak out.

David Miscavige is the de facto leader of Scientology and has been since the death of church founder L. Ron Hubbard in 1986. This past summer, the St. Petersburg Times [see video below] published a multi-part series of articles detailing eye-witness accounts of CoS leader David Miscavige beating members of his staff.

I first reported this explosive allegation back in the summer of 2008 during an interview with ex-member Marc Headley, who was a member of Scientology for 15 years. He was personally assaulted by Miscavige, which precipitated his eventual defection from the group many consider a cult. You can read about his harrowing account inside Scientology in his new book Blown For Good.

It is these allegations of violence which has gotten the mainstream media involved in reporting this story — and I was delighted to discover that a well-respected news organization like CNN was willing to tackle the issue.

However, after I published my article, I discovered there were very few mentions of the series within the news outlets, including CNN themselves, and that had me concerned. I did some digging, and communicated with some of my sources (many thanks to all who keep me in the loop) and discovered Anderson Cooper was being targeted by a systematic campaign of harassment to prevent the show from airing. Former high-ranking member and outspoken critic Marty Rathbun has also detailed the efforts of David Miscavige and the Church to keep this series from airing.

This is nothing new from Scientology. They are a notoriously secretive group who use their well-paid lawyers to keep critics silenced and suppress the truth about their organization.

I contacted Anderson Cooper's PR Manager Shimrit Sheetrit, to verify if this show was going to be aired, since there had been virtually no publicity and she assures me it is. When I pressed her on whether Anderson and CNN have been pressured by Scientology to not air the show, as Rathbun alleges and she said, "We have heard from their lawyers."

What I really, really, really want to know is, where's Shelly Miscavige? No word on whether that burning question will be asked during the series. Anyone out there know where the missing Mrs. David Miscavige is? I'd like to interview her.

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Article Author: Dawn Olsen
A veteran blogger for 8 years, Dawn frequently voices her opinions - some occasionally based on rumor, conjecture and bias - on matters relating to celebrity, family, politics, music and stuff. As publisher for Glosslip.com for 3 years, and a regular …

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Video from the St. Petersburg Times article: