Clearwater Sun, 3-Nov-79: Shocked officials say they'll fight
Mark Dallara
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Shocked officials say they'll fight
By Debbie Winsor
Sun Staff Writer
CLEARWATER - Church of Scientology documents released Thursday that
outline the Scientologists' intention to control or "take over" the city
left local government officials wondering Friday how the group planned to
reach that goal - and what the city should do about it.
Mayor Charles LeCher and City Manager Anthoney Shoemaker agreed the city's
first move is to seek copies of the documents released Thursday in
Washington, D.C., by U.S. District Judge Charles R. Richey.
"We have to find out what the documents say to decide if, as a city, we
should take any action," LeCher said.
Shoemaker said he wants more facts before drawing any conclusions about
the Scientologists' documented plan to maneuver the media and government
officials.
But he said he was "shocked" to learn of the Scientologists' expressed
desire to gain control of "key points" in the city, such as government
agencies and media outlets.
LeCher pointed to the potential impact the Scientologists could have on
local elections.
"They could control the city commission. They have 1,600 people here, and
that many people could swing an election," he said.
LeCher and Jim Parker, executive director of the Greater Clearwater
Chamber of Commerce, said they didn't think the Scientologist presence had
hurt the city's vital tourist industry.
But LeCher, concerned about the future, cautioned: "Down the road, I hope
when people think of Clearwater, they don't think of Scientology
"We're too small. We can't absorb all of them."
Referring to former mayor Gabriel Cazares, the city's most vocal spokesman
of anti-Scientology sentiment, Shoemaker said Cazares "was right. He may
prove to be a very farsighted man."
In late 1975, after the Scientologists moved into the city as the United
Churches of Florida, Cazares hounded members for information on the
"master plan" for their Clearwater operation.
Without knowing that United Churches was the Church of Scientology,
Cazares criticized the organization for buying property under a front name
and demanded that it "reveal" its master plan.
Friday, the former mayor said he wasn't surprised by the revelations
coming out of Washington.
"My request for a master plan finally came out, from Judge Richey,"
Cazares said. "This is only the tip of the iceberg. If the real story is
ever known, it will boggle the mind. This cult poses the clearest threat
to American society and institutions that exist."
Cazares used the revelations to again criticize elected officials, both
local and national, who haven't been as outspoken against the
Scientologists as he.
U.S. Reps. Richard Kelly, R-New Port Richey, and C.W. Bill Young, R-St.
Petersburg, came under special attack from Cazares for not conducting a
congressional investigation into the Scientologists.
Commissioner Richard Tenney echoed Cazares' remarks. The commissioner
traveled to the nation's capital in March, trying to solicit interest in
such an inquiry.
Tenney said the recent revelations will prompt him to again ask for a
congressional investigation, in addition to urging local probes by federal
officials.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond Banoun, chief prosecutor in the federal
court case that led to the release of the documents Thursday, soon might
move the U.S. Justice Department investigation to Clearwater, Tenney said.
Kelly and Young also weren't surprised by disclosures that the
Scientologists sought to gain control of this city of 90,000, nor by the
revelations that the group kept files on them.
"I have assumed for a long time that they did" keep such files, Young said
in Washington.
He and Kelly agreed that reports of Scientology-held dossiers on their
activities make "little difference" to them.
Young, a member of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, said he had
asked for a briefing on the documents next week.
The senior congressman said he first contacted the FBI about the
Scientologists soon after the group bought property in Clearwater, and he
said he was asked not to turn the sect's arrival here into a political
issue.
At that time, he said, the FBI was investigating the Scientologists and
feared a national-level political issue would hinder that inquiry.
"It may be that now, the government authorities will decide there is no
reason for political authorities" not to get involved in the Scientology
issue, he said.
Kelly said he hasn't yet seen any of the documents seized by the FBI in
July 1978 and would want to review the information before promoting an
investigation.
But Cazares came down on the congressmen, the press and city and county
officials for "looking the other way," allowing the Scientologists to
operate their Clearwater center free from criticism.
LeCher said the Scientologists have not intimidated or harassed him or any
other commissioners. He said the group did tell him, however, that its
American Citizens for Honesty in Government arm planned to investigate
city officials.
"But they wouldn't say how," LeCher said. "I asked them how they would
conduct such an investigation, and they wouldn't tell me."
"Everything seems to be falling into place. It annoys the hell out of
me."
Scientology spokesman Nancy Reitze denied that the organization ever
investigated city officials.
The group did survey city residents, asking them whether they belive
government to be corrupt. The overwhelming majority replied yes, she
said.
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