Guardian Office

The Guardian Office (now the Office of Special Affairs) attempts to silence criticism of Scientology. It is also in charge of front groups like Narconon and Criminon.

More about Guardian Office

GO Document

February 21, 1976: A church document reports that Scientologist June Byrne, who had infiltrated the Clearwater Sun using the name June Phillips, "is being grooved in to be a reporter."

GO Report

February 21, 1976: Molly Harlow, collections officer for Flag, sends Joe Lisa a two-page report providing biographical background on Clearwater City Atty. Thomas Bustin.

GO Document

February 27, 1976: Joe Lisa, assistant guardian for information at Flag, writes Jimmy Mulligan, an aide to Mary Sue Hubbard, that "a letter is going out to the Sun (one of those 5 day warning letters). Basically they are going to be warned not to print anymore ... or else we will sue." He also says, "Yesterday we turned over to PR scandal material for a Br I PR (branch one) attack on the medicos in these here parts. I am also having some follow up on this and am drawing up a project to get a large scale attack going on nursing homes, medical centers, mental health and psychiatric clinics. I'll be sending a copy up lines as soon as I get that completed."

GO Report

February 28, 1976: Mary Sue Hubbard writes her assessment of the Clearwater scene to Dick Weigand, deputy guardian for information, U.S. Of Mayor Cazares, she says: "He thought he had an excellent handle on us politically and was using it to gain PR for himself politically. He has nowhere to go except in the political arena. We were the football that blew up on him when we did not prove out to be tied to some gambling or other interests." She gives her assessments of reporters Snyder and Sableman and of The St. Petersburg Times. "Of all," she said, "I consider the SPT (Times) to be the most dangerous. Poynter obviously feels he owns this neck of the woods morally, spiritually, politically and otherwise." She was referring to Nelson Poynter, the Times' chairman of the board.

GO Report

September 29, 1976: Deprogramming: Arizona Set-up - B-1 Missionaire's Report

GO Document

October 15, 1976: Mo Budlong writes to Richard Weigand, describing a project called "Weavers Needle"; Budlong says it "can be utilized to debug and accomplish any infiltrating target you may be having trouble with in your area."

GO Document

November 4, 1976: Duke Snider writes to Henning Heldt about the meeting he'd had with Michael Meisner on 10/28. He says that Meisner "seemed to finally realize ... that his actions would ultimately seriously effect the church..." and that Meisner had expressed concern for his wife and parents and over the fact that he was being kept uninformed about the Guardian's Office's actions on the cover-up. Snider concludes that Meisner is not a traitor and will cooperate with the GO.

GO Memo

February 14, 1977: A memo entitled "Re: ARM Pac Directorate" details Scientology activities regarding the "anti-religious movement." It gives the home address of alleged deprogrammer Sandra Sachs; notes that a probation officer would not provide information about Sachs or Ted Patrick, but that the info could instead be gotten from Scientologists in the Los Angeles or San Diego police departments; mentions a planned picket of the Hare Krishna Temple in Los Angeles; and discusses the Brotherhood of the Sun and Melodyland. In the section on San Francisco, it notes, "As you know we are setting up a kidnapping to be done eventually by Michael Trauscht, so as to set him up for fraud charges by the parents. We are currently working on this as there is a family already recruited ... There is also another FSM who is in communication with the anti-cult groups in that area, and who is looking for Frances Rufty through those people and by tracing down the cars visiting the house in Berkeley where Trauscht had stayed. [Editor: In other words, a Scientologist had infiltrated organizations concerned about cults, who was tracing people who had visited one exit counsellor's home.]" The author goes on to describe problems with getting regular, timely reports from the Assistant Guardian in San Francisco; he was sent to cramming, and was slated for a sec check if he didn't start complying.

GO Document

May 12, 1977: Dick Weigand replies to an inquiry from Mary Sue Hubbard about Scientologists who had been directed to infiltrate Florida newspapers and public organizations: "Basically the scene is that we had two agents one in the CW Sun and one in the CW Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce agent was used in the Easter Seal operation, not the CW Sun agent but the clincher is that both of these agents were in the AMA and had previously been blown." He says the liabilities of the situation are that agents Martin and Phillips could be traced back to Scientologist Mike Meisner, who has been stealing documents for Scientology in Washington.

GO Document

October 31, 1977: Mary Sue Hubbard writes to Richard Weigand proposing various aspects of the ongoing cover-up operation for Michael Meisner. She suggests that the following scenario be considered: Meisner (whom she refers to by the letter "H" for the code name Herbert which Meisner had assumed since going underground after the issuance of his arrest warrant) was having marital trouble and was jealous that his wife was being more productive than he. Therefore, he took it upon himself to organize the burglaries of government buildings and thefts of documents from those buildings to prove that he too could produce for the Guardian's Office. She instructed the defendant Weigand that "[i]f this seems workable" then Meisner should be ordered to work on the details of this aspect of that plan.

Guardian Office in the News

Date Titlesort icon Blurb Tags
July 15, 2008 SPY VS. SCI: The Latest Scientology Protest Anonymous protests Scientology in Portland, Oregon to raise awareness about the dirty tricks of Scientology's Guardian Office and Scientology's criminal Snow White conspiracy. Guardian Office, pickets, Portland, OR, Press
June 30, 2008 Anti-Scientology Group On Attack The anti-Scientology group known as Anonymous says its July 12 "Spy vs. Sci" plans to demonstrate in "cities all around the world." Anonymous members - who include former Scientologists - are focusing on alleged "abuses" of the church's intelligence agency, known as the Office of Special Affairs (OSA). The group charges that critics are "targeted, harassed, threatened and intimidated in an attempt to silence or punish them." Guardian Office, New York, pickets, Press
January 13, 1987 Scientologists Lose Appeal The Church of Scientology will seek leave to appeal yesterday's court decision dismissing its bid to quash the search warrant that led to the largest seizure of documents in Canadian history. One hundred policemen seized about two million documents in a 20-hour raid on the organization's Toronto headquarters. crimes, Guardian Office, lawsuits, Press, Toronto
January 15, 1985 Defendants Answer Summonses Crown Attorney Is Predicting Long Trial In Scientology Case A Crown attorney says he expects a lengthy trial for the Church of Scientology of Toronto and 16 members and former members charged as a result of a four-year police anti-rackets investigation. The accused face one or more of three charges - theft over $200, possession of stolen documents and breach of trust. The church itself faces 17 charges. crimes, Guardian Office, Press, Toronto
December 20, 1984 Police, Provincial Employees Included 19 People Charged In Scientology Case Germany created a government office Wednesday to coordinate its fight against the Church of Scientology and to keep people who are affiliated with the group out of key public jobs. Federal and state governments will work together to try to keep companies and people with links to Scientology away from jobs involving teaching and counseling, Kohl said in a statement. The German government claims Scientology is largely a money-making organization - with some traits of organized crime - that seeks world domination. crimes, Guardian Office, Press, Toronto
January 15, 1983 Scientologist Faces Jail Term Mary Sue Hubbard, 51, wife of the founder of the Church of Scientology, is scheduled to begin serving a four-year federal prison sentence for her role in a conspiracy to burglarize federal buildings, following the failure of a series of appeals. She was the last of eight Scientologists to be sentenced in a 5-year-old case that grew out of efforts by church members to burglarize federal buildings and illegally obtain government records on the church. crimes, Guardian Office, Mary Sue Hubbard, Press
January 24, 1980 The Scientology Papers: Hubbard Still Gave Orders, Records Show L. Ron Hubbard, the former science fiction writer who publicly resigned in 1966 from leadership of the Church of Scientology, continued to give orders to its leaders into 1977, a Washington court has been told. Evidence obtained in 1977 in raids on U. S offices of the cult by the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed there was a detailed program to cover up Mr. Hubbard's involvement in the leadership of Scientology. Called Operation Bulldozer Leak, it was part of the documentary evidence filed by federal prosecutors with the U. S. District Court that last month gave long prison terms to Mr. Hubbard's wife and eight other Scientology leaders for their roles in conspiracies to steal government documents and to obstruct justice by kidnapping an informer. The nine are free pending an appeal of the validity of some of the evidence. Guardian Office, L. Ron Hubbard, Press
January 23, 1980 2 Leaders In Britain Still To Face U.S Court In Conspiracy Case Testimony before a U. S. District Court in Washington said FBI raids on offices of the Church of Scientology in 1977 were specifically in search of evidence of conspiracies to steal government documents and obstruct justice. The FBI agents found it, the court was told. Much of the evidence was in the reports of the cult's spies planted in jobs in strategic offices, and in the files that they stole. Thousands of seized documents that helped convict nine U. S. Scientologists named as conspirators also gave the court evidence of other crimes and clandestine activities. Canada, crimes, Guardian Office, Kathy Feshbach, Press
January 23, 1980 The Scientology Papers: Cult Harassment, Spying In Canada Documented New light has been shed on the Canadian operations of the controversial Church of Scientology by files made public by a U. S. District Court in Washington. The evidence refutes denials by Toronto cult leaders of information I reported more than five years ago in a series of articles based on internal cult documents and interviews with defectors. Other accounts since then of clandestine operations by the cult in Canada are also supported by the files, submitted in court after being seized in Los Angeles and Washington as part of a 2 1/2-year investigation by U. S. authorities. The trial resulted in jail sentences for nine leading U. S. Scientologists, who are out on bail pending another of many attempts to have documentary evidence used in the case ruled illegal. Canada, crimes, Guardian Office, Kathy Feshbach, Press
January 22, 1980 Secret Ontario Documents Found in U.S. Cult's Files Confidential documents from various Ontario Government offices including an attorney-general's communications about police intelligence operations have been found in U. S. Church of Scientology files. The documents were part of the evidence submitted by federal attorneys in the Washington prosecution of U. S. leaders of the cult on charges of conspiring to steal government documents and obstruct justice by coverups and by kidnapping an informer. crimes, Guardian Office, Press, Toronto

Guardian Office in the News

Date Titlesort icon Blurb Tags
February 28, 1976 GO Report Mary Sue Hubbard writes her assessment of the Clearwater scene to Dick Weigand, deputy guardian for information, U.S. Of Mayor Cazares, she says: "He thought he had an excellent handle on us politically and was using it to gain PR for himself politically. He has nowhere to go except in the political arena. We were the football that blew up on him when we did not prove out to be tied to some gambling or other interests." She gives her assessments of reporters Snyder and Sableman and of The St. Petersburg Times. "Of all," she said, "I consider the SPT (Times) to be the most dangerous. Poynter obviously feels he owns this neck of the woods morally, spiritually, politically and otherwise." She was referring to Nelson Poynter, the Times' chairman of the board. Guardian Office, Mary Sue Hubbard
February 27, 1976 GO Document Joe Lisa, assistant guardian for information at Flag, writes Jimmy Mulligan, an aide to Mary Sue Hubbard, that "a letter is going out to the Sun (one of those 5 day warning letters). Basically they are going to be warned not to print anymore ... or else we will sue." He also says, "Yesterday we turned over to PR scandal material for a Br I PR (branch one) attack on the medicos in these here parts. I am also having some follow up on this and am drawing up a project to get a large scale attack going on nursing homes, medical centers, mental health and psychiatric clinics. I'll be sending a copy up lines as soon as I get that completed." Guardian Office, Mary Sue Hubbard
February 21, 1976 GO Document A church document reports that Scientologist June Byrne, who had infiltrated the Clearwater Sun using the name June Phillips, "is being grooved in to be a reporter." Guardian Office
February 21, 1976 GO Report Molly Harlow, collections officer for Flag, sends Joe Lisa a two-page report providing biographical background on Clearwater City Atty. Thomas Bustin. Guardian Office
February 12, 1976 GO Memo One week after Scientology threatened to sue the St. Petersburg Times for libel, Duke Snider, deputy deputy guardian U.S., writes Henning Heldt, deputy guardian U.S., that he had come up with an excellent defence should anyone accuse the church of trying to silence The Times. "There are 3 papers here, the CW Sun, St. Pete Times, Tampa Tribune," he said. "The CW Sun and St. Pete Times printed the most stuff. Tampa ran a lesser amount but still some entheta (translation: unfavorable publicity). "When we sent out the letters threatening libel we did not have time to get around to the Tribune, they had printed less, but still some entheta and we wanted to go over their articles more carefully." Just that day, he said, his office was preparing to send a letter to the Tribune threatening a suit, but then his plan came to mind. "So with the Tribune (Tampa)," Snider said, "we do not threaten any action but just let PR (public relations) handle. As a defence we then point to them and say 'We didn't threaten them or try to shut them up, it's just those who are completely unreasonable or unfair and despite all our best efforts will not stop printing falsehoods that require us to take recourse to legal action'." Guardian Office, Henning Heldt
February 12, 1976 GO Memo The Flag Collections Officer [possibly Molly Harlow?] writes a memo to Joe Lisa entitled "Re: Rumours." It discusses rumors the Scientologists were trying to plant at the Clearwater Sun and the Chamber of Commerce that L. Ron Hubbard was in Europe and had come to the US to relax, do photography, and record choirs - not to set up the fake United Churches front that Scientology was hiding behind. Guardian Office, L. Ron Hubbard
February 9, 1976 Duke Snider, U.S., Henning Heldt, superior, Mary Sue Hubbard, Clearwater Sun Duke Snider, deputy deputy guardian U.S., reports to Henning Heldt, his immediate superior, that Mary Sue Hubbard has approved a plan to have a church attorney tell Clearwater Sun officials the newspaper "could get off the hook" by printing an apology. Guardian Office, Mary Sue Hubbard
February 5, 1976 GO Order An order from L. Ron Hubbard suggests that Scientologist Jimmy Fischer obtain the school records of Clearwater Mayor Gabriel Cazares. Guardian Office, L. Ron Hubbard
December 17, 1975 Church, Fort Harrison Hotel, United Churches, Florida, building;, Guardians Office, information. Jimmy Mulligan, Commodore Staff A full month before the Church of Scientology announces it has purchased the Fort Harrison Hotel, citizens of the city are still being told that an ecumenical group called United Churches of Florida will occupy the building; but Guardians Office executives are already making plans to establish listening posts for gathering information. Jimmy Mulligan, an assistant to Commodore Staff Guardian Mary Sue Hubbard, writes Dick Weigand, deputy guardian for information U.S. Mulligan tells Weigand that the Clearwater department planned to combine its communications with those of police departments in Dunedin and Largo, and that in "April 1976 -- the communications center is going 'all civilian.' ... I think this is an excellent opportunity for us and I would like to see us represented in that communications center." Thus, GO staffers lay plans for Scientology agents to infiltrate the police department's communications center. Guardian Office, Mary Sue Hubbard
December 4, 1975 GO Memo A Scientology memo summarizes the contents of some "LA Intel Files," including information about Scientology links to the Process, references to the "Scientology murders" (Doreen Gaul and James Sharp, teenage Scientologists who were murdered, possibly by the Zodiac killer or someone associated with Charles Manson), an allusion to LRH being arrested in 1968 for counterfeiting, and FBI information on Scientology. FBI, Guardian Office