UPDATED: Leah Remini has filed a lawsuit against the Church of Scientology and its leader, David Miscavige, for harassment, defamation and other unlawful conduct. Remini, who joined the Church in 1979 as a child and left in 2013, claims Scientology’s “mob-style operations and attacks” have “significantly” impacted her life and career.
“For 17 years, Scientology and David Miscavige have subjected me to what I believe to be psychological torture, defamation, surveillance, harassment, and intimidation, significantly impacting my life and career. I believe I am not the first person targeted by Scientology and its operations, but I intend to be the last,” Remini stated in a press release sent out Wednesday.
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In a statement released Thursday, the Church of Scientology responded to Remini’s lawsuit, calling the actor and former member “an anti-free speech bigot.”
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“If Remini can no longer get a job, she has nobody to blame but herself,” the Church continued. “Obviously everybody in Hollywood now knows what we already knew: That Remini is a horrible person and toxic to so many who have the misfortune to come in contact with her.”
Read the Church’s full statement here.
Remini filed the lawsuit in the California Superior Court on Aug. 2 in an attempt to “require Scientology, and any entity it controls and funds, to cease and desist its alleged practice of harassment, defamation, and other unlawful conduct against anyone who Scientology has labeled as an ‘enemy.'”
Remini also seeks compensatory and punitive damages for the alleged harm Scientology has inflicted on her personal and professional life.
Named defendants are the Church of Scientology, Miscavige and Religious Technology Center, Inc., which, Remini alleges, manages policing operations and principally enforces Scientology’s punishment orders.
Per the release, “OSA Network Orders, a series of directives from Scientology’s founder, the late L. Ron Hubbard, institutionalized a series of retaliatory actions to be taken against any individual, organization, business or government entity that Scientology declares as an enemy. Under the organizations’ rules, directives originating from Hubbard cannot be changed.”
Remini alleges that a series of attacks meant to “obliterate” and “totally restrain and muzzle” her were “activated by OSA and their operatives.” The lawsuit details alleged “coordinated campaigns” by the Church levied against Remini and her family, friends and business associates.
“With this lawsuit, I hope to protect my rights as afforded by the Constitution of the United States to speak the truth and report the facts about Scientology,” Remini continued. “I feel strongly that the banner of religious freedom does not give anyone license to intimidate, harass and abuse those who exercise their First Amendment rights.”
The Church of Scientology did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment.
In 2016, Remini co-created and executive produced a documentary series about the Church titled “Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath.” She won two Emmy awards for the series, which ran for three seasons.
In November, Remini testified on behalf of Paul Haggis in the filmmaker’s civil rape trial. Remini implied that the Church was behind rape allegations against Haggis, who left Scientology in 2009. “Men and women who have been raped absolutely deserve justice. But in this case, it’s absolutely Paul who is the victim here,” Remini told jurors.
After “That ’70s Show” actor and practicing Scientologist Danny Masterson’s rape trial ended with a hung jury, Remini posted a lengthy statement to Twitter directed at Miscavige, whom she accused of covering up sex abuse crimes within the Church.
“While this is not the outcome I wanted for the survivors of Danny Masterson’s predation, I’m glad a retrial has already been rescheduled,” Remini wrote. “My heart breaks for the women who have courageously and tirelessly fought for justice for over five years. For years, they have been targeted and harassed by Scientology and its agents. They have also been targeted and harassed by their family members and friends who remained in Scientology.”
