2005 but says while he was there the head of the church, david misc miscavige routinely beat them. he said not only did miscavige kick, choke and punch them, the sea organization, and if particular, the former spokesman, rathbun also says miscavige said other managers were expected to get physical. rathbum admits he himself did this but was done in the ken couragement of miscavige himself. they claim asserting rathbun is a bald-faced liar. as we continue our investigation you will hear from other high-ranking scientologists saying that david miscavige was the one behind the violence although the church emphatically denies it. here s cnn s anderson cooper.
he did tell his wife but never complained to anyone else about miscavige. he had the power so say you re ex-communicated and you will never see scientology again, your wife again or scientology again. you devoted 27 to it and he can plug the plug like that and say you can never have it again. over the past month cnn has spoken at length with former sicientology mike render. he said he wouldn t interview with us because he promised his first interview to be seen. once that interview is aired he said he will welcome the opportunity to come on cnn and share his story. anderson cooper s investigation continues tonight scientology, a history of violence, tonight, 10:00 eastern on ac 360.
miscavige was always, threats, bullying, haranging people, physical abuse, verbal abuse. reporter: jeff hawkins was a scientologist for 35 years. a marketing director for the church, he was a member of the sea organization, the group that runs church operations worldwide. he had dedicated his life to scientolo scientology, a true believer he earned just $50 a week and liftd in church-provided communal housing with other sea org members in california. you ve worked with marty rathbun and mark. the church told us they were the ones leading the ring of terror, he was responsible for these beatings. absolutely not true. absolutely not true. david miscavige was the one leading this whole physical violence kick. and it was him who was beating people up. reporter: hawkins who left in 2005 says miscavige attacked him
he never mentioned it. he says he did mention it to you. no, he did not. that s a lie. reporter: catherine, your ex-us, jeff hawkins, said that you have a heart of gold and you stuck with him through trying times of scientology. whoa, he didn t have any trying times of scientology. it was the best time of his life. reporter: she says jeff hawkins never said a thing to her about being hit. did you tell anyone about this? did you complain about it? no. you don t do that when you re inside the base, you don t do that. reporter: why? well, if you go against miscav vin miscavige, if you say anything or you do anything or you report on miscavige, you re instantly off the base. reporter: what does that mean to be off the base? rehabilitation project force or sent to a remote location or sent to africa or australia. you re just gotten rid of. reporter: marty rathbun said
spokesman at the time. he grabbed mike around the neck, swings around, and is choking him. he s holding his neck. and mike is grabbing the side of his chair and struggling like not knowing what was going on. and his face is turning red, and the veins are popping in his neck. and i m going, what in the hell is going on. reporter: steve hall was a writer for the church who left in 2004. he says he saw miscavige attack mike render again in november of 2003. he grabs mike, mike s head, with both his hands. throws mike off his feet because he s strong and he put his whole body into this. he smashed mike s head against this cherry wood wall. reporter: church of scientology spokesman tommy davis insisting all these former scientologists are liars, bitter former sea organization members who were demoted from their