Clearwater Florida

Subject: Clearwater Picket: Thursday Lunch w/John Carmichael
From: Garry Scarff (scarff@iag.net)

Tbis is a review of events regarding my visit to Clearwater to attend the picket against Scientology. On Wednesday night, Dec. 3, I received a telephone call from Martin Ottman to let him know that he was in Clearwater. He mentioned that he had a driver's license and could rent a car but was afraid to drive on American streets. Asked if, when I arrive in Clearwater, I would drive him around the city to visit several sites including the Medical Examiner's office. I told Martin that I had some appointments to attend to, but would reschedule them so I can get to Clearwater and help Martin get around. We agree to meet at the motel at 1:00. I go to Clearwater as planned arriving at 12:30. I wait till 1:00, 2:00, 2:30, but Martin is a no-show. I decide to drive downtown, go visit a friend at the Clearwater PD & to see what's kicking around the Fort H. and I drive to Emily's Restaurant (3 blocks away from the Ft. Harrison) for a bite to eat. No sooner than I get out of my car, that John Russ, a Flag security guard ride up to my car on his bicycle, address me by name and says someone wants to talk to me. I ask John who this is and he says he doesn't know. I tell John that I'm going into the restaurant to have lunch, that whomever shows up can come in the restaurant & see me there. Then, John says, "Here he comes" and I see a nattily dressed man walking quickly towards me, and I recognize him to be John Carmicheal, Scientology'sd PR man for the New York City Org. I also know John very well because we were friends in the early 80's when he recruited me into Scientology, interviewed me for a staff position at the Portland Mission of Davis and signed off on my staff contract.

John, who fancies himself in his demeanor as a cross between a hyper Jerry Seinfeld and a used car salesman, queries me why I'm in Clearwater. I go up to shake his hand and he pulls away saying that he doesn't want to shake the hand of declared scum. I tell John that I'm going into the restaurant to enjoy my lunch and that he is welcome to tag along if he acts like a grownup, warning him that if turns into Mr. Snot at the table, I'm liable to accidentally drop my coffee into his lap. John and I go into the restaurant where I order lunch, and not one to eat alone, offers to buy his lunch for him, and he accepts.

John starts mouthing a litany of Scientology wins & successes, about the 10 million (not 8) Scientologists in the world, that Scientology has been wonderful to him. I tell John to cut the speel. It's nauseating me. John cuts to the chase and informs me that I am not the celebrity anymore, that Scientology doesn't care anymore about me, and that I should go back to Orlando. He further inquires what I do in my personal & professional life? I turn the tables on John & ask him the same personal questions, and as John very loudly jokes & flames, I do the same, garnering the attention of everyone in the restaurant. I apologize to the waitress that my friend here is a Scientologist who thinks they own Clearwater and the waitress boldly responds: "They don't but they sure act like they do." John is not amused. I notice that John is having problems keeping his coffee cup still has he twirls it constantly on the table. I grab John's hands and tell him to calm down, that's he's annoying enough without playing with the coffee cup. I ask John if he's seen a doctor about his very noticeable fidgeting as he tries to compose himself as the artful PR man, his hands noticeably shake out of sheer nervousness. I promise John that I won't bite him, to calm down. I excuse myself to go to the bathroom, and when I return I see that are soup has arrived. John is inhaling his as if he hasn't eaten in days. I sit down and enjoy mine (only to get seriously ill later on vomiting the contents of my soup wondering to myself whether John had tampered with it).

I tell John that I must be some sort of celeb to Scientology or they would not spend so much time keeping me under surveillance, and here I sit with Mr. PR Man himself. I ask John if they still operate under old policy when talking to suppressives? I reach over the table and poke John on the right side of his chest to John's disdain as I acknowledge the age old method of taping our conversations, without consent, transcribing them later on to be used at a later time for DA purposes. John reaches into his coat pocket and reveals the recorder he has running on me, stops it, and plays it back to show I have been recorded. John gets a call on his cell phone and tells me he has to leave to attend to another appointment and rushes off thanking me for the cheeseburger & soup.

I pay for our lunches and go outside to the telephone booth to call the motel to see if Martin had called in & left me a message. From behind, I hear a woman's voice call out my name. I turn around and see Sue Taylor, an OSA staffer and original GO staffer who works in the Washington, D.C. org. (I also testified about Sue and I's working relationship during the Oklahoma City CAN Conference in 1991, which both Sue & I disrupted, and was the Conference where Jeff Jacobsen and I first met and talked to each other). Sue asked me if I was still living in Portland. I said no. She asked me why I was here in Clearwater. I told Sue she knew why I was here. (It was obvious that OSA and PR staff are no longer communicating with each other like they used to).

I then decided to walk over to a magazine shop and then to a pharmacy shop to get a Diet Coke. The shop, obviously catering to Scientology, because of all the trademark books & tapes being sold in the store, is packed with Sea Orgers. I go to the back to get my soda and turn around to go to the counter to pay for it, when Mike Rinder, Mike Sutter and 2 Flag security people walk in and confront me. Mike Rinder asks me about my health and informs me that he has read ARS and has heard that I was looking for alternative means to deal with my HIV condition. Mike informs me that I will never, ever, be able to receive the services of any Scientologist in this arena because I am a declared high criminal to the church. I tell Mike that during the Fishman-Geertz deposition, Scientology attorneys swore that I was not declared, that I was never a member of the Church. Rinder admits they were wrong, that he helped prepare my declare & promised to send me a copy of it. He & Mike Sutter then leave. I pay for my soda and walk around the downtown area stopping every once in awhile looking in a storefront window's reflection of the activity behind me as I am continued to being followed by Flag security on bikes and a professional-looking man nervously chugging on a cigarette). Tired of walking, I return to my motel room where I upchuck my lunch and become seriously ill.

Part II coming up....

Subject: Clearwater Picket, Part 2 - Day One
From: Garry Scarff

That evening at the Ritz Motel in Clearwater Beach, I am laying in my bed when there's a knock at the door. I open the door to Martin Ottman & Birgitta Dagnell. We talk and I show Martin & Birgitta 9 posters I have made deciding which ones to use. Birgitta begs me not to use the poster indicting Dennis Erlich for sexual misconduct. I tear up the poster. She also had difficulty understanding my posters referencing the asthmatic dwarf David Miscavige and my poster which reads: "Dear Santa..we found your missing elf...he's running the Church of Scientology". I then learn in Europe, there is a Santa Claus but there are no elves. It's only an American institution. Birgitta suggests we go out somewhere, get some coffee and chat. We go to the local restaurant where I tell Birgitta why I have acted very consolitory to the church in the last year, in words and in deed, and that she might understand as a mother who rarely saw her children because of her church involvement, I was in alot of pain over my mother's involvement with the church. Birgitta says she understands. Martin talks about the German reporters that came with him that are writing a book on him & his Scientology experiences. Martin jokingly tells me to back off that he is now "the star"... Birgitta then suggests that they go and she return to the hotel, asking for directions. I tell Birgitta that I know where everyone is staying, that it be best that Martin ride back with her, I would follow her in case we were being followed by the Scieno's and that I would bring Martin back to our motel. We start off to the Holiday Inn driving in downtown Clearwater when it becomes apparent that Birgitta has lost her way. I drive to her and tell her to follow me to the Holiday Inn. Martin begs me to "please..please..please" stay in my car once we arrive at the hotel and for me not to enter the hotel because he does not want to offend Jeff Jacobsen or the others by my coming to the hotel with them. I agree to stay in my car. When we arrive at the Holiday Inn, Birgitta gets out of her car and walks over to my window & says she needs to apologize to me, that she is not going into the hotel, that she needs to get to the Tampa airport to pick up Dennis Erlich. She says she feared telling me at first. I tell her it is OK & agree to escort her to the Tampa airport to pick up Dennis. I then drive Martin & myself back to the motel. At the motel, I call Arnie Lerma in his cell phone number that he gave me prior to the picket but ne never returns my call. I retire for the night.

Part III coming up.

Subject: Clearwater Picket - Day Two
From: Garry Scarff

On Friday morning, I'm getting prepared to leave when a familiar sight. Jeff Jacobsen and another gentleman pass by me in the doorway as he makes his way to Martin Ottman's room. As I drive my car out of the parking garage, Martin comes down the stairs with Jeff Jacobsen & the other man. I honk & wave to Martin who pretends not to notice me & Jeff looks away.

I drive around the downtown area and decide to have breakfast at Emily's since I cannot locate another restaurant downtown that serves breakfast. As I'm about to enter Emily's, a Flag security guard rides up on his bike and says that my mother is at the Ft. H and wants to talk to me. He tells me to wait for Mike Rinder who's coming over to walk me to the Ft. H for "security reasons". Mike walks over and we walk over to the Ft. H. and I observe a film crew across the street in front of the Winter Wonderland pointing their camera's in my direction. I think they are the German ARD crew that I saw in the restaurant yesterday. I enter the Fort H and go upstairs to the Belgium Room where I take a seat and am told to wait for my mother. I ask Mike which one of the rooms on the floor is where Lisa died and he becomes upset telling me to keep my bullshit to myself. (I later ask a Flag guard the same question and if I can look at it and he claims it's being used for another party). While I wait for my mom, Mike and 3 security come into the room and drill me about the picket, who's attending, how the police are cooperating with the picketers, where Dennis Erlich is staying. I correctly inform Mike that the other picketers are shunning me and I am in Clearwater on my own. Mike informs me that my behavior during the picket will determine any future I have with my mother. Mike Rinder leaves to see "what's holding up" my mother. The guards starts asking me questions, and I tell them that I am tired of their BS and am going to leave. The door is locked and I can't get out. I start pounding on the door yelling, and one of the guards wraps his hand around my mouth and pulls me back saying to calm down, that I am disrupting whatever sessions are going on right now. Mike Rinder comes back, asks what all the fuss is about, shakes his shoulders that he didn't know the door was locked, and tells me I will need to leave the Fort H. and that my mother did not want to talk to me because of my stated intentions to picket Scientology & because I was not being cooperative. I then leave the Fort H. and return to my motel. An hour or so later, I receive a telephone call from Martin Ottman and I tell him what happened. He suggests I return to Orlando. I tell him that I feel ill, want to lay down and will consider that prospect later. I go downstairs to my car where I have a bottle of antiacids in my glove compartment. Returning to my room, I see a black Lincoln Continental parked across the street, with a man pointing a videocam at me. I enter my room and shut the door.

At 1:30, I go to the Holiday Inn where I meet with Clearwater Police Officer Tom Miller, St. Pete Times reporter Lucy Morgan, and a cadre of police officers and Glen Barton. I express my love for wildlife by giving him the finger. I then run into Bob Minton, we hug and he invites me to have coffee with him and the others in the restaurant. I tell Bob that it is known that my presence is not wanted, but Bob Minton insists. We pass David Touretsky in the hallway and he only glares at me before going into the men's room. I go to a table where Arnie Lerma and Ron Newman is sitting with others that I do not recognize. I decline to sit at ther table, not wanting to cause any dissension, and Bob invites me to the end of the bar where we talk, of his personal support for me, and not to be swayed by the "assholes" in the group, to do what is best for me. He then invites me to the Press Conference where I inform him that I'd better not, because I would not be welcome. Bob insists, saying that I have just as much right to be there as anyone else. I go with Bob towards the Press Conference passing several people, including Arnie Lerma (who says nothing) and enter the hallway where Rod Keller, Deana Holmes, Scientologist John Carmicheal and police officers are standing. As Bob and I make our way to the Press Conference Room, Rod Keller loudly objects to my being there and says I'm not to enter the room, that I'm not going in, and reaching his arm out as to block me from going in. This ruckus catches the attention of the media and police standing around. Deana Holmes also says it is not as good idea for me to go in, yet Bob says I have every right to go in. He then talks to Jeff Jacobsen who denies me entrance, but is swayed by Bob Minton's promise that I would stick with him. I enter the Press Conference Room where Gregg Hagglund and Skywalker introduce themselves to me. Birgitta & I exchange greetings. During the Press Conference, Bob Minton leaves the room and comes back after the Press Conference, telling me that he had a constructive conversation with Mike Rinder & John Carmicheal in the hallway. Bob then tells me that ARD is going to do interviews of certain persons in the room, and that Ron Newman felt it was a good idea that I leave the room. Bob Minton said he wanted to help me anyway he could and offered to let me share his room with him for the duration of the picket, but I declined because of the hostile environment of the other ARS people. We then walked me to my car and I returned to my motel room.

I decide to picket on my own that evening one hour prior to the scheduled time that Jacobsen's group will picket. I carry a sign that reads (credited to Bev which gave me the idea): " DON'T LET LISA MCPHERSONS MEMORY GET LOST IN THE BATTLE...SCIENTOLOGY MURDERED LISA" As I am walking alone on a darkened street surrounded by police officers, I meet Lucy Morgan of the St. Petersburg Times who talks to me about my mother and my affidavit and she tells me she wants a particular item, a Scientology product, for Christmas. I promise to find her an E-Meter for Christmas. I tell Lucy that I've never known the E-Meter to be used for sexual pleasure but I'm sure it could be used for something useful. I talk to other media persons including a reporter & producer of a national TV show, asking me if I would fly to NY to appear for an interview. I agree to do this if I'm allowed to be as open & specific as I want about the criminality of Scientology. The reporter wants to know about my relationship with Mike Rinder and I tell him.

Jeff and his crew appear late to the vigil, but do show up, and it is a very moving experience with the darkened & closed Ft. Harrison, the dark park that holds Winter Wonderland & the bagpipe player. I have the opportunity to talk to Gabe Cazeras, the former mayor of Clearwater, long attacked by Scientology. He's a very courageous man, indeed!! As Jeff Jacobsen & his friends leave the vigil, I talk with the German reporters that accompanied Martin Ottman to Clearwater. They asked me about the Hacienda and Scientology's building on Cleveland Street. I take them on a tour of the parking structure overlooking the Cleveland Building, where the OSA offices for Flag are located and they film Sea Org members leaving the building. I then observe a man leaving the building running to the stairs of the parking structure & I tell them it's best to leave unless they want a confrontation. He head for the Hacienda where one can usually find RPF'ers in their black shorts & gray T-shirts. Because of all the attention focused on Scientology, I tell the Germans, it's doubtful they will see RPF'ers because in the best of Scientology PR, the RPF (as we as ex-Scieno's know it to be) simply does not exist.

Before going on our little tour though, we decide to walk down and vist the other picket of Scientologists walking around the police headqauarters. I proudly carry my sign remembering Lisa along their picket path, and upon the warning of a police officer that I need to stay on the sidewalk, I stand in the midst of the protestors with my "Scientology Murdered Sign". As one Scientologist screamed in my ear, "Sid Klein: What's Your Crime?" and another tried to use her sign to block mine but couldn't reach it because of the 10 foot long pole it was attached to (a clever tactic I had talked to Exile49 about prior to the picket). I walked in the midst of the Scieno's as a St. Petersburg Times and CBS photographers kept taking pictures.

After the German reporters finished their business with me, they went back to the Holiday Inn where the other picketers were congregating, and I returned to my motel alone.

Subject: Clearwater Picket: Day Three
From: Garry Scarff

I get up early in the morning, read the newspapers for picket news and go have breakfast at a local motel. Upon returning, I run into Martin and his film crew friends who invite me to have breakfast with them and I agree to meet up with them in a few minutes after I complete some personal business. I recognize that they are more distant to me today then they were last night, and I ask them why. They tell me that "Jeff and the others" told them negative things about me.
I don't respond. I excuse myself as I am determined to walk the picket line by myself for an hour before the others show up, and I do.

During the picket, I have an opportunity to apologize to Deana who is very gracious, and also to Mark Dallara, who was arrogant & insulting, but then I remember this to be the individual who said he disliked "queers" when he had addressed me. I let it go but the Flag guard standing nearby may have found his exchange with me amusing.

I picket on my own, ignoring the other picketers except the one's who has been kind & considerate to me. I get some great pictures including one of Deana interrupting an interview between a reporter and Sylvia Stanard and "Beth". I also told Deana about mugging for a photo in front of a Scientology sign in front of the front door of the Fort H, whereby, she looks into the windows and spots Glen Barton hiding inside.

I found myself the center of attention with OSA photographers and at one point, upon returning to the Fort H. from the Sandcastle, I opbserved a white van approaching the stop light and Mike Rinder sitting in it's passenger seat. I yelled at everyone nearby that Mike Rinder was sitting in the van causing a flurry of snapshots to be taken by several people of a very pissed-off Mike Rinder. Flashing my "Scientology Murdered Lisa" sign at Rinder, I posed for a picture with Rinder leaning on the van next to the windshield. The van then sped off.

After the picket was over, I said my goodbyes and returned to Orlando.