Leah Remini, who played a lead role in "The King of Queens" and has been a vocal critic against the Church of Scientology, brought national attention to Clearwater’s city council elections by endorsing Chair 2 candidate Mark Bunker.
According to US Weekly, the actress has joined forces with Bunker, who has lived in Clearwater since 2013 and criticized the Church of Scientology for the past 20 years.
Bunker is campaigning against Michael Maninno, Bruce Rector, Eliseo Santana and Lina Teixeira to replace the incumbent Jay Polglaze, who is not seeking reelection.
“Clearwater has a unique problem with the presence of Scientology and the city needs a unique councilman who fully understands how Scientology operates and is not afraid to stand up to them,” Bunker said in a Facebook post.
Though no specific reason was given for Remini’s endorsement, it does make a lot of sense. For instance, Bunker has already appeared on Remini’s A&E Network series, "Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath," and a Pinellas County judge ruled that Bunker and Scientologists weren’t allowed to go within 10 feet of each other in 2000.
Clearwater’s election will be on March 17, the same day as the Florida Presidential Preference Primary.
Over the years, Remini, who was once a Scientologist, has been a staunch critic of the Church. In her documentary series, Remini and other high-ranking former Scientology members shared stories of the Church’s abuse and harassment.
According to an in-depth investigation by the Tampa Bay Times, the Church of Scientology spent $103 million over the course of three years to double its Clearwater footprint.
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This article appears in Feb 27 – Mar 5, 2020.