More Scientology Secrets Revealed In Bombshell IRS Documents — Church Spent $1.2M On Lobbying Alone
Mar. 30 2015, Published 2:46 p.m. ET
The day after HBO aired Alex Gibney's shocking Scientology exposé, RadarOnline.com has exclusively obtained IRS tax returns for the church's Citizens Commission on Human Rights, which reveal still more secrets about the controversial church.
The Citizens Commission on Human Rights was founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology as a "watchdog group that investigates and exposes psychiatric violations of human rights," according to the website.
According to the CCHR 2013 tax return, during a four-year period the organization spent $1,283,052 on lobbying costs. Specifically, they shelled out $32,382 to influence public opinion, and $97,147 in direct lobbying to a legislative body.
At the beginning of the year, CCHR had $223,797 in cash, non-interest bearing, and $115,687 at the end of 2013.
Total revenue was $2,343,777, and the organization spent $889,205 on advertising and promotion.
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Compensation and salaries for the staff of 43 totaled more than $1 million.
The CCHR awards dinner that year made $272,205, but incurred $245,574 in unspecified costs, for a net profit of only $26,631.
In 2013, the documents note,"The Citizen Commission on Human Rights continued its campaign to display the traveling exhibit, 'Psychiatry: An Industry of Death,' in different regions around the world, with the purpose of raising public awareness of the harmful abuse and violation of human rights in the field of mental health."
The organization also gave Scientology-based Golden Era Productions $96,000 for "public awareness."
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