Mark "Marty" Rathbun disappeared: Sometimes the price of dealing with the Church of Scientology is that they just make you disappear and drop off the face of the earth (ARS - 10 June 2006)

Who is "Marty" Mark Rathbun ? (home.earthlink.net)

The Life and Times of Mark "Marty" Rathbun (home.earthlink.net)

Scientology Operation Against Washington

By Tony Ortega

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/ - May 11 2011

[Texte intégral]

After the jump, Leiby's ex-wife, Theresa Defino, responds to Marty Rathbun's allegation that she 'caved' to Scientology in its anti-Leiby efforts.

Marty Rathbun has done it again. The top former Scientology figure who left the "church" in 2004 has been gradually releasing damaging information about the organization at his blog, "Moving On Up a Little Higher."

Rathbun is working with several other defectors who left in recent years, some of them with ties to Scientology's covert operations wing, the Office of Special Affairs. He's been making public OSA's "black ops" investigations of people Scientology considered enemies.

In today's case, Rathbun has released the first installment of a series that uncovers a stunning secret 2006 operation aimed at Richard Leiby, a Washington Post staff writer and editor who for years did some of the best reporting on Scientology.

According to Rathbun and the documents he has released, Scientology wanted to silence Leiby by investigating his 2005 divorce.

By targeting Leiby's estranged wife, Rathbun writes, Scientology aimed to use his "divorce proceedings as a boot to Mr. Leiby's throat."

Reached at his Washington Post office this morning, Leiby told me he could not make a comment about the matter.

Rathbun has previously posted at his blog formerly secret internal OSA documents. In this case, a 2006 document is marked "Eyes Only" and describes the steps operatives were taking to get information about Leiby and his divorce.

In approximately March of 2005 Leiby was living with Arnie Lerma as he was having marriage trouble and was kicked out of the house by his wife. He had planned to stay there for a month or two while he got things together.

Lerma is a well-known and longtime critic of Scientology who lives in D.C. and was one of the first and most important Scientology investigators who used the Internet to archive and disseminate information about the church.

The document goes on to describe Leiby getting an apartment in Rockville, Maryland, and "fighting over the equity" in the home he shared with his wife. Her place of work is described, and the ages of their children is listed.

The investigator then notes that it was impossible to collect and sift through Leiby's garbage at his apartment building, but his ex-wife's garbage was being sorted.

Then there's this interesting bit, which media critics and historians may take note of:

Leiby has been very stressed out about the divorce and per a source, he gave up his gossip column "Reliable Source" with the Post, as he could not handle it. He also has a situation with his personal finances as he has to pay for the divorce and the attorney fees, plus the house and his apartment.

I've been admirer of Leiby's work for years. Leiby worked at the Clearwater Sun before he was at the Post, in a Florida town that is Ground Zero for Scientology nuttiness. In fact, this isn't the first time Scientology was annoyed enough at Leiby to go after him.

While he was at the Clearwater Sun, Leiby wrote about one of Scientology's more notorious operations, its slandering of Clearwater mayor Gabe Cazares as it took over much of the town in the late 1970s. Years later, a former operative for Scientology's "Guardian's Office" -- the precursor to the OSA -- apologized for his role in that scummy sliming not only of Cazares, but also for plotting against Leiby himself:

I remember going to staff meetings where private eyes were sent out to find "mud" about Richard Leiby to "discredit him". Our info bureau reported that they couldn't get any dirt on Richard, so the next directive was get dirt on his girlfriend or wife, or whatever it took to silence him.

More than 20 years later, Scientology apparently was still interested in getting to Leiby through his wife.

As for what Leiby was working on at the time that seems to have alarmed Scientology so much, I found this story of his from 2005, when he reported on the nutty church and its New Mexico vault where it stores copies of the writings and speeches of L. Ron Hubbard to last thousands of years.

I talked to Rathbun this morning, asking him about the operation against Leiby. "It's the church leverage game," he told me. "You go after someone and go after them until you wear them down."

He says the next installment of documents

UPDATE: Rathbun called me back to clarify that he has more information about Scientology's investigation of Leiby, but not of his ex-wife.

UPDATE: Leiby's ex-wife, Theresa Defino, contacted me to say Rathbun's assessment of her was dead wrong: "I was not 'blanketed' and did not 'cave," nor did I accept assistance from anyone other than my divorce attorney. There was no 'boot' to anyone's 'throat.' As Mr. Leiby knows, I received an uncontested divorce and negotiated settlement in February 2007, which is remarkable in how generic it is. I have sole physical custody of my children with scheduled visitation, shared legal custody, child support according to state guidelines and a 50-50 property/retirement split. All of this is public record. Mr. Rathbun's telling of this saga also contains numerous other errors, as do the documents he purports to quote from. As far as the news that the 'church' went through my trash, I do not find this surprising. This is the same organization that left a headless rabbit in my backyard years ago, under my swing set so my children could find it. Note to the 'church:' I have a shredder. In addition to printing falsehoods without verification, Mr. Rathbun thoughtlessly violated my privacy to serve his own ends. Mr. Rathbun has also refused several of my attempts to discuss this matter with him."

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Tony Ortega is the editor-in-chief of The Village Voice. Since 1995, he's been writing about Scientology at several publications. Among his other stories about L. Ron Hubbard's organization:

The Larry Wollersheim Saga -- Scientology Finally Pays For Its Fraud

http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-06-24/news/Scientologys-Crushing-Defeat/full

 

 Remnants of Mark "Marty" Rathbun found, former senior executive of the Church

of Scientology is being systematically erased from existence on Scientology's web pages

 

now missing for 285 days

Source ARS: forum alt.religion.scientology - 10 June 2006 - 05:38 by Simkatu

Sometimes the price of dealing with the Church of Scientology is that they just make you disappear and drop off the face of the earth.

 Who is "Marty" Mark Rathbun?

Introduction

Perhaps it's only fitting that Mark "Marty" Rathbun goes by two different names. During the years for which I was able to plot his career within the CoS, he seems to have worn enough hats for at least two people.

What follows is very much a working draft of Rathbun's career, from his first appearance in the power structure of Authors Service Inc., through his meteoric rise through the ranks of the Religious Technology Center (RTC). It also details his subsequent fall from grace immediately following the announcement of the once-secret CoS/IRS agreement in October, 1993 -- as well as his apparent return to the fold several years later. 

There are some significant gaps.

It would seem that Mr. Rathbun -- he uses both names, Marty and Mark, interchangeably -- has been in the thick of virtually every major CoS happening in the last decade, from Wollersheims I and II  (including -- yes -- Judge Swearinger and Duke), the rebirth of the Guardian's Office, the launch of OSA, the years of frantic negotiations with the IRS and much more.

One of the pack of David Miscavige cronies who came to the forefront of CoS management during the putsch of 1981, he does not appear in such notorious reports as the transcript from the infamous Mission Holders Conference. Mr. Rathbun appears to be a backroom boy, more fond of shadows than of the public light. Even ex-scientologists who spent years inside seem to know little about him, despite the fact that he was seemingly in the background for nearly every major event of the decade.

In 1993, Rathbun seemed to be at the peak of his CoS career. President and Inspector General for Ethics at RTC, the most senior CoS organisation, he answered to none but RTC Board Chairman David Miscavige. As Inspector General (Ethics), he held one of the three most senior positions in RTC, save that of Miscavige, and was personally responsible for overseeing some of the more sinister management functions of the CoS; Ethics and Justice.

At least, until 1994.

Something seems to have happened between 1993 and 1994, something that made it necessary for Warren McShane to take over as president of RTC.

Towards the end of 1994, Mark "Marty" Rathbun was made a director of the corporation. He is also no longer referred to as IG Ethics for RTC. It is not clear whether the position was abolished, or the power transferred to McShane as president.

There is a suggestion that Rathbun spent the first part of 1994 on the Freewinds, either in RPF or being "handled" after an attempt to leave the CoS towards the end of 1993. Another affidavit suggests that, rather than being punished,  he was moved out of the United States at the behest of RTC Chairman David Miscavige, possibly to avoid deposition in one of the then-ongoing court cases.

It was during these lost years that Rathbun made one of his more bizarre cameo appearances, as the object of a court case brought against Church of Scientology International (CSI) by former German GO official Barbara Schwarz. Schwarz claimed that he was her husband, and sued the CoS for failing to provide her with information on his then-current location. It is unclear whether she was, in fact, his wife. However, the otherwise inexplicable incident does lend weight to the theory that, for whatever reason, the CoS was not anxious to reveal Rathbun's status within the organisation, even to his purported nearest and dearest.

After this fall from grace, Rathbun seems to disappear into the woodwork until the last days of December, 1997, when the IRS agreement he had helped to strike was leaked to the Wall Street Journal. When asked to comment on the deal, Rathbun made this -- perhaps accidentally ironic -- observation,

"When you're pure as the driven snow, you don't worry about that kind of thing."

In the interests, then, of driven snow purity and sunshine disinfectant, I present The Life and Times of Marty Mark Rathbun, international man of mystery. I have gathered the information that follows from a wealth of online resources. Wherever possible, I have added links to the source documents, as well as quoted the relevant passages, to give some context. Any errors, either in transcription or interpretation, are mine alone.

Please - fill in the blanks, if you have anything to add

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Questions, comments, etcetera et al may be directed to tallulah@storm.ca

The Life and Times of Mark "Marty" Rathbun

Notes, comments and annotations by tallulah@storm.ca

The pre-1984 years - Origins

Position : Possibly member of Watchdog Committee (WDC)

1978 - Welcome to the Sea Org

Position : Bodyguard

Noteable activities : Jesse Prince, at one time Inspector General at RTC, discusses Rathbun's horrifying introduction to the Sea Org:

From a post by Jesse Prince (August, 1998):

Now, it happened one day that a fellow named John Coletto was routed to the RPF forcefully. By "forcefully," I mean he was surrounded by others who forced him to go, just the way it happened to me. He came from the Pubs Org, which later came to be known as Bridge Publications, Inc., or BPI. His wife Diane Coletto was the Commanding Officer, or CO, of the Pubs Org, and she had been instructed to divorce her husband John because he was a "criminal."

Well, this sent John "over the top." After some weeks, he managed to escape the PAC RPF and shortly afterwards called Scientology officials to let them know that they had turned his wife against him (a common practice in Scientology), and he was going to kill her.

Diane was assigned a body guard. A new person who just routed onto the EPF (Estates Project Force). The EPF is where you get your initial Sea Org training (brainwashing).

Marty was in a car with Diane driving down what is now known as L. Ron Hubbard Way, when out of nowhere here comes John, her husband, and he has a gun in his hand. John stopped the car and got into an argument with Diane because she would not leave with him. He then took the gun and emptied it into her body. Blood and guts were everywhere. He then took the gun and pointed it at Marty and started to shoot - click, click, click - no more bullets.

Marty sat there in shock staring at John as John stared at him. Marty had blood, bone and guts all over him and barely escaped death that day. John ran off and was found dead himself a few days later for self-inflicted wounds from the same gun he used to kill his wife.

This was Marty Rathbun's introduction to the Sea Org. Marty was assigned a special Guardian's Office auditor and spent months trying to audit out the incident. He became part of OSA and was watched and guarded himself for a long time.

February-April, 1984 - Fair Game and Gerry Armstrong

Position : Unknown

Notable activities : Mark Rathbun is alleged to have taken part in the "fair-gaming" of former scientologist Gerry Armstrong.

From declaration of Gerry Armstrong (April, 1986)

[In this declaration, Armstrong is requesting documents relating to the alleged harassment he endures at the hands of the Church of Scientology.] The orders or correspondence to the private investigators who surveilled my wife, Jocelyn, and me beginning in May 1982, and who assaulted me, ran into me,  attempted to involve Joceiyn and me in freeway accidents, and who followed and harassed us through September 1982. Also the daily PI reports from each day of this period. The orders, reports, materials, briefings, and documents concerning a visit and subsequent telephone calls to me by Mark Rathbun in February through April 26 1984. Rathbun stated to me that the organization had done an "eval" regarding me, so this would include the eval, all accompanying "data," documents and the resultant "program." An "eval," or evaluation, is a mimeographed issue type, only approved with supporting documentation.

November, 1985

Position : Unknown post, Author Services Inc (ASI)

Notable activities : During a meeting at ASI, Rathbun participates in the decision to file Wollersheim II case

From the declaration of lawyer Graham Berry in Wollersheim case (May, 1997)

Although RTC and CSI would be its plaintiffs, the decision to file the Wollersheim II case was made by, among others, Sea Org officers David Miscavige, Norman Starkey, and Marty Rathbun -- all of whom were then associated with ASI, a purportedly separate corporation! SS-50, 58. Also participating in this decision was RTC officer Vicki Aznaran. SS-58.

From Fishman Affidavit, November 3, 1993:

During that meeting, I overheard Deborah Truax tell John Stachelrodt that the Office of Special Affairs had assigned an agent to work in the law office of Charles O'Reilly as a typist/clerk/receptionist, The typist, whose name I do not recall or may not have been privy to, was placed there by OSA for two purposes, or major operating targets. I do, however, recall what these targets were. I was then informed by Mark Rathbun, then Miscavige's legal executive in ASI that Ingram bribed Tamimi in order to get Michael Flynn charged crim Affairs.

August,1986

Position : Deputy Director of Intelligence, Office of Special Affairs (OSA)

From Fishman

24. On or about or prior to the above referenced
12 incident, I was called upon to transcribe various hard copy
13 documents into a terminal of the INCOMM computer located at
14 the office at North Catalina Street, and I was brought in
15 to INCOMM by Deborah Truax of Golden Era Production, who
16 was also the junior to the OSA liaison there by the name of
17 Linda Hamil. As the Fields Financial Planner of Miami, I
18 was PBO cleared and held a password on the INCOMM system
19 which was the word "wogdom" followed by the backslash and
20 my clearance number which was 15223. I was assisted in
21 logging on and accessing the correct data base by a Sea Org
22 Member whose nickname was "Pacman." He looked about 19
23 years old. I was recruited to work on a O5A project which
24 was called "Mission Find the Crimes" and I had volunteered
25 40 hours of computer time to INCOMM, and my computer time
26 was approved by the Deputy Director of Intelligence for the
27 Office of Special Affairs, who at the time was Marty Rathbun.

Corroborating testimony of Rathbun's participation in Wollersheim case, from
Stacy Young declaration, February 1994

The Scientologists accuse defendants Dr. Geertz and Mr. Fish man of harassing tactics. Yet it is the Scientologists who are compelled by their most fundamental scriptures to harass perceived enemies of Scientology unceasingly, including judges, defendants, their counsel and the Scientology experts retained in this case. The Hon. Ronald E. Swearinger became a target of Scientology harassment while he was presiding over the case of Larry Wollersheim v. Church of Scientology of California, #C 332 027.

In the document attached as Exhibit 8, "Linda" is Linda Hamel, who was In-Charge  of the "Mission Find the Crimes" ("MFTC I/C") in OSA, which was run directly  by "Marty," who is Marty Rathbun, Inspector General for Ethics in RTC [editor's note - as of 1994].

1987 - In Like Flynn

Position : LRH Legal IC or "Special Project L" under ASI [Editor's note - L, Ron Hubbard Legal In Charge; Special Project L was the ASI division devoted solely to handing LRH and MSH's legal battles].

Notable activities : Rathbun was involved in the attempt to frame anti-scientology lawyer Michael Flynn, with the aid of CoS hired gun PI Eugene Ingram.

From Vicky Aznaran affidavit (April, 1994)

I was then informed by Mark Rathbun, then Miscavige's legal executive in
ASI, that Ingram bribed Tamimi in order to get Michael Flynn charged
criminally.

March, 1987 - The Move to RTC

Position: Unknown post, Religious Technology Corporation (RTC)

Notable activities : Rathbun, along with other DM cronies, including future CST trustee Greg Wilhere, moves from ASI to the CoS corporate powerbase at RTC. 

Aznaran :

Miscavige became head of RTC in March of 1987, at this point he moved Marc
Yager and Ray Mithoff from their positions in CSI into RTC. He also moved Mark
Rathbun, LRH Legal IC or Special Project L, and Greg Wilhere from their
positions in ASI into RTC. I now see from the declarations of Marc Yager and
Ray Mithoff, that Miscavige has now placed them back into CSI. This is but one
small illustration of his ongoing control over the CSI corporation.

1989 - Interlude at RTC and the return of Snow White

Position : Inspector General for Ethics RTC

Notable activities : At this time, Rathbun first appears on the Snow White International Dissem List, headed up by OSA official Elaine Siegal. 

1990 - Top of the Heap

Position : Inspector General for Ethics RTC; Trustee of Church of Scientology International

Notable activities :Rathbun appears in this 'family portrait' featuring the top executives of the CoS, including RTC Chair David Miscavige and other familiar faces. He also spearheads a campaign to steal the medical record of Wollersheim attorney Charles O'Reilly for possible blackmail purposes.

From Berry declaration:

Once the Wollersheim I trial was over, a discussion among high-ranking Scientology officials was led by Sea Org officer Marty Rathbun. Rathbun, who would soon become RTC's president and a trustee of CSI (SS-50), told the group of a plan to steal the medical records of Charles O'Reilly, one of Mr. Wollersheim's attorneys. SS-68. This plan was ordered by David Miscavige. SS-70. The goal was to obtain information which might be useful in blackmailing O'Reilly into easing off the $30 million verdict.

October, 1991- At Cause over the IRS

Position : President of RTC, Inspector General for Ethics RTC

Notable activities : As President of RTC, Rathbun attended the infamous meeting with the IRS that led to the formerly secret tax agreement. For his troubles, he was installed as member of the Church Tax Compliance Committee (CTCC), a position which he apparently still holds today. 

From the transcript of a speech by Miscavige describing the circumstances that led to the meeting with the IRS

In October of 1991, while this war was raging at its apex, Marty Rathbun and I were in Washington DC. to attend one of these court hearings I mentioned. It was to be the next day. We had just finished a lunch meeting and our next appointment wasn't for a couple of hours. In other words - we had some spare time on our hands. That's not something we're accustomed to, so - we thought at last we could create a bit of mischief. We told the lawyers we'd see them in an hour or so and that we would be down at the IRS building. Of course they had a good chuckle as we left the room. Off we proceeded to 1111 Constitution Avenue - which if you didn't know is the address of the national headquarters of the IRS. We presented ourselves to security at the front door, signed the visitors log and informed them we were there to see Fred. They asked - Fred who? We answered, Fred Goldberg of course, the Commissioner of the IRS. "Is he expecting you?" they asked. "No", was our response. "but if you phone him on the intercom and tell him we are from the Church of Scientology, I am sure he'd love to see us." Have you ever wondered whether we were really impinging, when we have spoken of the IRS at previous events? Well - if so - shame on you.

For another view of the October meeting between Rathbun, Miscavige and the IRS, read this story by New York Times reporter Douglas Franz.

He also created a memorable disturbance during a court case, as described in American Lawyer

From Two Faces of Scientology, American Lawyer (July 1992)

[ ...] The judge disagreed, but apparently that didn't deter Cooley. When Cooley continued to bellow over the ringing of the judge's gavel, Letts summoned the marshals. According to an opposing lawyer, Cooley scurried out of the courtroom moments before two marshals arrived to eject him. (Cooley's pugnacious bent may reflect that of at least some of his clients: Several minutes after he left the courtroom, church official Mark Rathbun, who is not a lawyer, was forcibly ejected by the marshals when he refused to obey Lett's order to sit down.) The church lost the recusal motion and eventually appealed the decision up to the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to grant certiorari.

February, 1993

Rathbun responds angrily to an article published by Washington-based tax research organisation Tax Analysts in the newsletter Tax Notes Today.

From What We Know About the Scientology Closing Agreement by Paul Streckfus (Tax Notes Today, January 10,1994)

This story, too, was greeted by a blast (Nov. 8, 1993, p. 747) from an attorney for the Scientologists, Monique E. Yingling. She accused me of attacking the settlement "simply because it involves Scientology." In addition, the Scientologists' designated spokesperson, Marty Rathbun, weighed in, accusing me of "prevaricating with reckless abandon." (Nov. 15, 1993, p. 871).

September, 1993 - Going Hollywood

Position : IG Ethics for RTC, President of RTC

Notable activities : Rathbun participated in the fair-gaming of Hana Eltringham, who came under fire for her association with magazine writer John Richardson, who wrote an article about scientology for Premiere Magazine.

From the declaration of Hana Eltringham Whittfield, April 4, 1994

In September 1993, I learned of further "Fair Game" and harassing tactics initiated by CSI and RTC against me because I am a Scientology critic. John Richardson ("Richardson") of Premiere Magazine, wrote that Marty Rathbun, RTC Inspector General for Ethics, and Heber Jentzsch, CSI President, claimed I was an accomplice in the tragic murder of my father 30 years ago, attached hereto as Exhibit 52 of September 1993, page 91. This is blatantly and completely false.

Catch a Rising Star, news article by John Richardson, Premiere Magazine,
September 1993:

The current leaders of Scientology insist that the acts of Mary Hubbard and her coconspirators represent a dark side of Scientology that is all in the past. They dismantled the unit that was responsible for these activities, and attack a reporter as "a bigot" for raising the issue. But they admit without hesitation that they still use private detectives to investigate their enemies, including Bowers - they even provided documentation ofScientology detectives videotaping a sting operation against a hostile former church member. "I have no problem with that," says Martin Rathbun, president of the church's Religious Technology Center.

Rathbun is also quoted as a spokesman for "Scientology California" (possibly the Church of Scientology of California) in a New York Times article on IRS agreement published in September, 1993

October 8th, 1993 - Eye of the Storm

Rathbun is mentioned during the now notorious "total victory" speech given to the International Association of Scientologists by RTC Chair David Miscavige, in connection with his efforts in the battle.

From transcript of Miscavige's speech:

But I would like to thank 3 individuals who were there on the front lines helping to fight this battle. They are Marty Rathbun, Norman Starkey and Heber Jentzsch. But it is appropriate this evening to present some awards. This is a huge victory.

Although Miscavige gave out Waterford crystal awards to some of the lawyers and scientology agents involved in the negotiations, Rathbun didn't get one. One rumour, as yet to be confirmed, suggests that Rathbun actually 'blew' the CoS briefly at this time, either before or right after the deal was announced.

November 2, 1993- Interlude with Mystery Wife

Former Germany Guardian's Office agent Barbara Schwarz, who claims to be married to Rathbun, loses her appeal in court to compel the CoS to reveal his whereabouts, and allow her to conduct a search of church property in pursuit of her putative husband. Although the date when the case itself is unknown, the circumstances are mysterious. If Rathbun was, indeed, her husband, why would the CoS not reveal to her his current location?

February, 1994 - Into the Deep

Position: Unknown : Possibly in RPF or other ethics projects.

Notable activities : It is at this point in his career that Rathbun's whereabouts become truly mysterious. Different sources have alleged that, after the IRS agreement was announced, he 'blew' the CoS for a short period of time, causing Miscavige great consternation. Allegedly, he was quickly found, and brought back into the church for "handling", possibly on the Freewinds ship, or on a Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF) base somewhere else, outside the United States. 

Stacy Young affidavit of February 1994

From the most recent declarations of Marty Rathbun and Greg Wilhere, it appears that Miscavige has removed both of them from their posts. They are now on the ship, the Freewinds, probably on the Rehabilitation Project Force ("RPF"), which is the Scientology version of a prison camp. For some reason Miscavige wanted both of them out of the country as this case approached trial. This is probably because both Wilhere and Rathbun have committed acts which may be violations of criminal and civil law on Miscavige's orders.

And so begins the first real gap in Rathbun's career. Between February 1994 and 1996, no trace of his activities can be found. According to his own deposition, current RTC president Warren McShane took over as president of RTC in 1994, and Rathbun became a director of the corporation. Whether this was a promotion or a demotion is unclear, however; even by his own standards, Rathbun seemed to keep a low profile between 1994 and 1996.

From Warren McShane deposition, May 9, 1995

Q. When did you become president of RTC?
A. In January 1994.
Q. When you became president, did your responsibilities change in any way for the organisation?
A. No.
Q. What precipitated the new title of president?
A. We needed a president. Due to my longevity and the area that I work in.
Q. Whom did you succeed in 1994?
A. A gentleman by the name of Mark Rathbun.
Q. Could you spell the last name?
A. R A T H B U N.

1996 - Ethics Redux

Position : RTC "official"

Notable activities : After a two year absence from available records, a more sinister side of Rathbun seems to emerge in the Pattinson affidavit. Pattison, an artist and former scientologist, claims that Rathbun "interrogated [him] ... using an e-meter" to determine his eligibility to read a document related to OT7, one of the highest levels of scientology teachings. By all indications, Pattison may well have been describing a typical scientology "security check" which would suggest that Rathbun had resumed his duties as Inspector General for Ethics of RTC.  

From the Declaration of Michael Pattinson, September 1997

At the end of 1996 I was subjected to [a] horrible kind of "religious deprogramming" in the Scientology "Fort Harrission Hotel". This was done,using an "E-meter", by a top official of the "Religious technology Centre" (RTC) namely Mr Marty Rathbun. I was interrogated for several hours on the most intimate personal religious beliefs (Christian) and his actions were designed clearly to get me to give up my Christian religious beliefs in exchange for RTC's "elegibility authorization" to read a confidential publication about a defective "OT level" I had previously completed (OT 7).

May, 1997 - Adventures with FACTnet

Rathbun appears on a FACTnet deposition list alleging fraud surrounding the will of CoS founder L. Ron Hubbard.

July 1997

According to a progress report from FACTnet posted on alt.religion.scientology, Rathbun is present at a meeting with the  FACTnet defence team where a $12 million settlement offer was allegedly discussed.  

From Wollersheim post:

I went to L.A. for two days about ten weeks ago and met with Monique Yingling (of the law firm of Yingling and Yingling of Washington D.C.), Marty Rathbun, and Mike Rinder. We continued to negotiate for the next four weeks.

December, 1997 - Driven slush

As director of RTC, Rathbun condemns the leak of the secret IRS agreement to the Wall Street Journal in an article published December 31, 1997 in Tax Notes Today:

Mark Rathbun, director of the church's Religious Technology Center, was angry that the agreement had been disclosed, arguing that the document's release constitutes a felony. "How would you feel if your tax returns were spread about without your authorization?" he remarked in a conversation with Tax Analysts.

On the agreement's enforcement procedures, Rathbun said, "When you're as pure as the driven snow, you don't worry about that kind of thing."

Friday, February 13, 1998

RECENT SIGHTING

An article in the New York Times, responding to allegations that U.S President Bill Clinton met with celebrity scientologist John Travolta for a secret briefing on the situation in Germany, quotes "Marty Rathbun, a senior official of the church," who defends Travolta's actions on behalf of his religion.

Other Rathbun appearances, as yet to be classified

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Questions, comments, etcetera et al may be directed to tallulah@storm.ca

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