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In his first detailed interview since walking off Nightline last week, church spokesman Tommy Davis talks about Paul Haggis' public defection, addresses drug allegations—and explains his relationship with Tom Cruise
by Kim Masters
The Daily Beast
Tommy Davis has been busy lately. In the past week, the spokesman for the Church of Scientology tore off his lapel microphone and stormed out of an interview when Nightline correspondent Martin Bashir tried to question him about whether he believed in the intergalactic warlord Xenu—a central figure in the church's theology. And over the weekend, Paul Haggis, the Oscar-winning director of Crash, made news when his angry resignation from Scientology—addressed to Tommy Davis—became public.
In his letter, Haggis claimed Davis had assured him the church would publicly denounce the organization's San Diego chapter for supporting Proposition 8, which outlawed gay marriage in California. That denunciation never came and Haggis said the church's refusal to take a stand was "cowardly." Then he took Davis to task for denying in a CNN interview that the church has a policy of "disconnection"—requiring members to cut off contact with family members who run afoul of Scientology or its policies. Haggis said he knew that statement was false because his wife was ordered to disconnect from her parents after they had committed some "absolutely trivial" offense in the eyes of the church.
Related story on the Daily Beast: Travolta's Scientology turning point?
"To see you lie so easily, I am afraid I had to ask myself: What else are you lying about?" Haggis wrote.
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