Scientology Tries to Use Free Speech Strategy to Defeat Leah Remini’s Harassment Claim – Update
UPDATE, 6:05 p.m.: Scientology claims to be the only reason the David Miscavige-led organization has ever attacked and defamed is because she attacked them first – and they want that The host’s lawsuit against her was dismissed on behalf of the First Amendment.
“In the face of the threats and violence unleashed by Plaintiff, the Church refused to remain silent and fought back,” Scientology lawyers claim in a lengthy and anticipated motion to strike filed late last week in Los Angeles Superior Court. “Excluding the allegations, which are based on unimpeachable statements, subject to protected petitions, and outside the statute of limitations, there is virtually nothing left,” the heavily Remini-quoting document from Winston & Strawn LLP and Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP adds .
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“The anti-SLAPP law demands that this frontal attack on First Amendment protected speech and conduct be removed,” the pointed response reads, in a strategy the embattled church has repeatedly used in other legal actions in the past.
Following a successful October 18 move (see below) by defendants Scientology International, Miscavige and the Church Corporation, the Religious Technology Center, to jointly respond to Remini’s forceful original and now amended complaint, the tone and language of the newer motion is the Church very similar to what they said about their strategy against them King of queens star earlier this month.
With the separate civil molestation trial against Scientology and the now-incarcerated Danny Masterson, convicted of two counts of rape earlier this year, beginning in September 2025, the church has requested a Nov. 28 DTLA hearing on the Remini case and its motion.
BEFORE, OCT. 6 p.m.: Scientology says Leah Remini’s harassment lawsuit has been filed against her former church and its leaders should be DOA thanks to the First Amendment.
“Defendants have concluded that the vast majority of allegations in the 68-page, 310-paragraph FAC implicate defendants’ constitutionally protected speech or activity,” said Scientology attorneys Winston & Strawn LLP and Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP in a memorandum filed Tuesday in L.A. Superior Court. “Each cause of action includes all prior allegations, and each action hinges upon, in whole or in part, allegations involving protected activity under the anti-SLAPP statute,” they add .
Defendants Scientology International, Miscavige and the Church Corporation, Religious Technology Center, will seek permission from Judge Randolph Hammock this morning to file a combined brief in support of an anti-SLAPP strike motion. “Despite the length of the first amended complaint and the scope of its allegations, CSI and RTC are not seeking to increase the total number of pages they are legally allotted. “The defendants only wish to file a single consolidated 30-page pleading,” the defendants claim (read Scientology’s memo to the court). Here).
RELATED: Date set for Scientology and Danny Masterson harassment trial
In a brief submission of its own dated October 17th Scientology and its consequences Moderator Remini said she thought 30 pages was “excessive” but would “defer to the court’s judgment as to the appropriate length of a coordinated filing and, if the court grants defendant’s motion, plaintiff seeks permission to file a coordinated response.” to be allowed.” same number of pages.”
Not far from the criminal courthouse where Remini and others watched prominent Scientologist Danny Masterson on September 7th sentenced to 30 years in prison On several rape allegations, Judge Hammock will hear arguments from both sides later today.
RELATED: Read Danny Masterson’s victims’ statements at sentencing: ‘Our lives have been destroyed’
Remini’s FAC dated August 30th reinforces this King of queens Alum’s previous allegations in the original filing dated August 2nd of retaliation from the prominent church for publicly lambasting its policies and staff. Remini also says that since filing the report, she has been the victim of various credit card fraud schemes and has been attacked and ridiculed by online trolls. In response to the lawsuit, Scientology accused Remini of being “a bigot” and made “threats and actual violence against the church.” Ridiculously, the church also suggested Remini “consider emigrating to Russia.”
This week Scientology doubled down on Remini in court.
“This case concerns a more than decade-long campaign by the plaintiff against her former church, the Church of Scientology,” they said harshly of the prominent former member. “Over the past decade, she has made a lucrative career spreading hate and fomenting violence against the Church of Scientology, its parishioners, and the ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion,” the defendants said.
RELATED: Scientology calls Leah Remini a “horrible person” and “bigot” in response to her harassment claim
“She has accomplished this through her autobiography, a cable television show, podcasts and appearances on television and radio,” Scientology added in the Oct. 17 filing. “She has used these platforms to call the church ‘fucking evil’ and its parishioners ‘sick assholes’, ‘damn as body snatchers’ and ‘morally exhausted’ and even falsely accuse the clergy.” Leaders of the religion of the unidentified “Crime”. CSI has responded to plaintiff’s defamations in various public forums and will continue to do so.”
As with the original nine-claim complaint from early August and the FAC alleging even greater harassment that followed a few weeks later, Remini says her lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. The actress/activist also hopes the court will grant her a temporary restraining order “to end Scientology’s policies against oppressive individuals, so that current and former Scientologists and others who wish to expose Scientology’s abuses, including journalists and advocates, can do so.” can feel free to hold Scientology accountable without fear of being silenced by threats.”
Remini’s case isn’t the only active harassment lawsuit the church is facing in court.
Judge Upinder Kalra on September 26 canceled the long stay to the harassment lawsuit filed in 2019 against Masterson and the Church of Scientology from a number of former Church members and their families.
The plaintiffs in this matter allege harassment and more by Masterson and others Scientology after the plaintiffs and their families went to the LAPD with allegations of sexual assault against the former That 70’s show Actor. All three Jane Does in the civil case in which Scientology unsuccessfully tried to get the Supreme Court to intervene last year are former members of the church. They were also involved in the criminal case against the now-imprisoned Masterson.
Given the volume of discovery and more to be worked through, trial for this harassment case is tentatively scheduled for September 22, 2025.
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