PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Church of Scientology is demanding that the Internal Revenue Service surrender all covert intelligence files related to the case of an ex-member who won a $39 million fraud judgment.
Church officials are awaiting Multnomah County Circuit Judge Donald Londer's decision on a motion for a mistrial in the jury's award last month to Julie Christofferson Titchbourne.
She charged Scientologists with defrauding her by claiming that Scientology courses would improve her intelligence and eyesight.
The Rev. John Carmichael, president of the Church of Scientology of Portland, presented a letter Friday to IRS Acting District Director Marshall Shaffner in which he demanded all Portland IRS files on intelligence operations against the church.
'ThroughouT the 16 years of our investigation of the IRS, facts relating to agency covert intelligence operations against American taxpayers, selective auditing procedures aimed toward IRS 'enemies' and an endless progression of Gestapo tactics resembling Inquisitorial tax collection methods have formed a routine familiar to us all,' Carmichael said.
Citing the fact that several IRS informants and at least one IRS covert operative were used as witnesses in the trial, Carmichael said, 'The IRS raises a specter of those medieval agents of a state's official religion come to extoll their tribute by whatever means necessary.'
