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

Secret: Notes on Smersh

May 7, 1971: L. Ron Hubbard writes GO [Guardian Order] 070571 LRH "Secret: Notes on Smersh." (He took the word from the James Bond novels to refer to an international conspiracy that he believed was directing the attack on him.) An excerpt: "Penetration is always a win. We have made it in finding WHO attacks Scientology from where by doing what. This gives us an ever further penetration. We have found as well the EX intelligence officer mouth pieces [sic] in the UK that influence that government and push Nazi aims. We are getting even further penetration now into who is keeping this planet upset."

Black Propaganda

January 12, 1972: L. Ron Hubbard issues GO 111212, "Black Propaganda." It will later be cancelled and reissued as OSA Network Order 15 on February 18, 1988.

Guardian Office memo

November 6, 1972: A Guardian's Office memo is sent to Mo Budlong, with a weekly update on the status of operations on several Scientology critics, including LRH's son Nibs, Paulette Cooper, Michael Sanders, and Judge J Skelly Wright. An excerpt: "SITUATION: Paulette Cooper continues as source of trouble for the church. WHY: Right pressure has not been brought to bear on her. ... HANDLING: Agent spoke to intelligence officer of IRS and gave him data on [Paulette's] father ... HANDLING: Agents took photographs October 25 of group including Kaufman, Cooper and Bernie Green, as they came from Channel 5 TV show in New York. Cooper ... screamed "he is one of them" ... and ... told agent "When the pictures come out in Freedom and so forth you'll be sued for invasion of privacy". Such a big effect for so little work. HANDLING: Handwriting analysis done on Cooper showing unfavorable characteristics. For use in future operation. HANDLING: Full up-to-date timetrack on Cooper sent to WW and CS-G."

Guardian Order 732

April 20, 1973: L. Ron Hubbard writes Guardian Order 732, in which he devises the Snow White Program for Scientology's intelligence agency, the Guardian's Office (GO), in an effort to root out and remove "false files" about the Church and Hubbard held by governments around the world. This becomes a sophisticated worldwide espionage operation targetting 17 governments and three international organisations.

GO Telex

October 31, 1974: A telex is sent from Duke Snider to Michael Meisner inquiring whether an agent has successfully infiltrated the IRS yet.

GO Document

November 4, 1974: Mary Sue Hubbard writes a document to other Scientology officials saying that Scientology must avoid being labeled a political group. The solution: "All political activity is to be carried on via front groups."

GO Telex

December 4, 1974: Duke Snider sends Mo Budlong a telex informing him that Snider and his associates had received "two shipments from DC . . . about ten inches" thick containing documents which the defendants Mitchell Hermann, Gerald Wolfe, and Michael Meisner had stolen from the IRS.

GO Note

January 9, 1975: Scientologist Mitchell Hermann writes a handwritten note stating "I attest that I have placed and am running an FSM at Silver [code name for the IRS] and am attaching the accompanying documents as evidence."

Willful False Reports

January 21, 1975: L. Ron Hubbard issues GO 111212, "Willful False Reports," in which he says, "The government could be willfully manufacturing false reports in order to get rid of somebody." It will later be cancelled and reissued as OSA Network Order 19 on February 18, 1988.

Guardian Order

June 27, 1975: L. Ron Hubbard writes an order for the Guardian's Office. An excerpt: "Info must find the who back of these IRS attacks and document it for exposure plus all other items of interest. It could be IRS and the government is attacking any vocal group to pave the way for some coup by the government. Evidence as to the why of these attacks must be gotten, powerful enough to destroy the attackers when eventually used or revealed." Hubbard said that somewhere in IRS was "an insane individual with insane plans" who was operating a "false reports factory." He wanted that person found.

Guardian Office in the News

Date Title 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 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 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 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
October 24, 1989 Letter to CO PAC Scientologist Gabriele writes a letter to the CO PAC about the care and hygiene of three children who were attending the Cadet Org and whose guardian was often sent away on assignments. Two of the children have lice, and the author seems to be concerned about who, if anyone, is doing laundry and keeping house for the children. Guardian Office, Letter
February 18, 1988 GO 111212, Black Propaganda, Reissued as OSA Network Order #15 LRH's Guardian's Office Order 111212, "Black Propaganda," is reissued as OSA Network Order #15. (It was originally issued on Jan. 12, 1972.) In it, Hubbard describes how OSA can use lies to destroy Scientology critics. Guardian Office
May 21, 1982 Carol Garrity Affidavit Affidavit of Carol Garrity. An excerpt: "I am aware that many similar operations were conducted against Tonja Burden while I was working for the G.O. [Guardia Office] I am aware that a G.O. agent, Bill Broderick was placed in a position to spy on Tonja Burden and that the G.O. acquired an apartment in Tonja Burden's apartment building to spy on her and harass her." Guardian Office
September 13, 1981 Church, Bill Franks, Guardian Jane Kember, Guardian's Office reorganized. States, Mary Sue Hubbard Church of Scientology executive director international Bill Franks announces that Guardian Jane Kember replaced and Guardian's Office reorganized. States that Mary Sue Hubbard resigned office "about a year ago" and that L. Ron Hubbard has served Church only as a consultant since 1966. Guardian Office, L. Ron Hubbard
November 26, 1980 Jane Kember and Morris Budlong Are Found Guilty In Snow White Case Jane Kember and Morris Budlong are found guilty in the "Operation Snow White" case. Guardian Office, Jane Kember
December 27, 1979 Guardian Order 3031, The Controller Committee Guardian Order 3031, "The Controller Committee," stresses compliance with the law. Scientology representative Lynn Farny later cites this document as evidence that Fair Game is not practiced by Scientology. However, Robert Vaughn Young testifies that Fair Game DID continue, and says he knows this because he participated in discussions about how to Fair Game Gerry Armstrong. Gerry Armstrong, Guardian Office
October 6, 1979 Mary Sue Hubbard and 8 Other Scientology Executives Admit Massive Conspiracy Hubbard's wife Mary Sue and eight other Scientology executives signed a 282-page (plus exhibits) Stipulation of Evidence that detailed the government's case. That document details the burglaries, forgeries, conspiracies, to obstruct justice and other crimes committed. crimes, Guardian Office, Mary Sue Hubbard
May 5, 1979 GO ED 4 - Hepatitis in the Cadet Org CADET GO ED [Guardian Office Executive Directive] #4, by Stephen LeMarr for the BOARD OF DIRECTORS of the CHURCHES OF SCIENTOLOGY An excerpt: "Then in Feb. the hepatitis scene happened and we were swarmed over by County and State Health Inspectors. The County Inspector (an ally) found out about the existence of the Fountain and said this is not OK and let's quickly work together and handle it. He continually predicted an attack from another agency and was not able to say which one. We found the Annex could be used and was legal with a small amount of renos and started to work. Sure enough, we were raided by 2 Special Agents of the State. But because of our taking full responsibility for our scene and well into having the Annex ready for use, there was nothing they could do to us. I will not go into detail of what they could have done but will indicate that we were suited in 1974 for running illegal child care and this would have been our second offence. First time we got probation and you could imagine what the second offense would have gotten us." Guardian Office
October 31, 1977 GO Document 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, Mary Sue Hubbard
May 12, 1977 GO Document 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. Guardian Office, Mary Sue Hubbard