While more revelations about Harvey Weinstein’s alleged sexual assaults continue to pour forth (and many wonder exactly what Uma Thurman is preparing to say), Deadline recently reported that the LAPD has 28 open sex-crime investigations involving high-profile Hollywood figures. While speaking to the press, Police Chief Charlie Beck listed several names (including Weinstein), but Deadline didn’t note whether Beck mentioned prominent Scientologist Danny Masterson, who was first accused of “violently raping” four women in 2016. Masterson’s cases have curiously stalled out in LA courts, and anti-cult crusader Leah Remini thinks she knows why this is the case.
Remini, who was a second-generation member of Scientology for four decades, believes that the organization (or as many say, “cult”) — which famously and aggressively uses litigation to harass and terrify its opponents (including the IRS) into silence — has ingratiated itself with the LAPD. Here’s Remini’s very serious suggestion as revealed to the Daily Beast:
“Scientology is very slick in that it’s partnered in this Police Activities League with the Hollywood division, and every year around Christmastime Celebrity Centre International right on Franklin presents the Hollywood Police Department with a check for this Police Activities League, which gives back to children. What it’s done is it’s aligned itself as per its policies, because there are Scientology policies that say, ‘Safe-point yourself to the area police department because then nobody will attack your good works,’ so it’s all very pointed and calculated.”
Not only is Remini, of course, calling out Scientology, but she’s also accusing the LAPD of purposefully looking the other way in regard to Masterson. And although the LAPD confirmed in March that they were investigating the rape accusations against him, no charges have resulted despite “overwhelming” evidence against the star of Netflix’s The Ranch.
Remini, who has interviewed Masterson’s alleged victims, also told the Beast that LAPD Hollywood Division Captain Cory Palka is often photographed at Scientology’s Celebrity Centre while “hanging” out. In response, the LAPD refused to comment on the matter, but the Beast notes that an anonymous source inside the division says that Palka’s “seemingly cozy relationship” with Scientology has raised eyebrows among officers.
(Via Daily Beast & Deadline)