Editing Scientology and law (section)

==== Hill & Knowlton and Eli Lilly ====

The PR firm [[Hill+Knowlton Strategies|Hill & Knowlton]] (H&K) was hired by the Church of Scientology in 1987. Right after the devastating ''Time'' magazine article [[The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power]] was published, H&K dropped them as a client. In 1992, the Church of Scientology sued H&K and [[Eli Lilly and Company|Eli Lilly]] for $40 million claiming H&K had illegally terminated the contract because of pressure exerted upon their parent company WPP Group by Eli Lilly, which Scientology had been attacking through its branch group, [[Citizens Commission on Human Rights]]. In 1994, after 57,000 pages of discovery and 75 depositions, the parties settled out of court for an undisclosed amount or conditions.<ref>{{multiref2 |1={{cite news |first=Patrick J. |last=Kiger |date=July 1994 |title=Monkey Business |work=[[Regardie's]] |url=http://www.patrickjkiger.com/regardies_scientology_story.pdf |access-date=5 October 2014}} |2={{cite news |author=Cassandra Burrell |date=25 March 1994 |title=Scientology to face Hill & Knowlton |work=[[TimesDaily]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1842&dat=19940325&id=00seAAAAIBAJ&pg=2784,3641468 |access-date=5 October 2014}} |3={{cite news |first=Wayne |last=Garcia |title=Scientology suit on PR firm heads for trial |work=[[St. Petersburg Times]] |date=March 31, 1994 |quote=[S]ealed documents [showed] how Lilly officials threatened to cancel their multimillion-dollar, 23-year relationship with J. Walter Thompson if Hill & Knowlton didn't stop working for the Church of Scientology. |via=Newspapers.com}} |4={{cite web |last=Garcia |first=Wayne |date=July 7, 1994 |title=Church of Scientology settles suit with PR firm |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1994/07/07/church-of-scientology-settles-suit-with-pr-firm/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080401045138/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/51847739.html?dids=51847739:51847739&FMT=FT |archive-date=April 1, 2008 |publisher=[[St. Petersburg Times]]}} }}</ref>{{r|wright|pp=217-218 |quote=The 1980s had been a devastating period for the church's reputation, with Hubbard's disappearance and eventual death, the high-profile lawsuits, and the avalanche of embarrassing publicity. [[David Miscavige|Miscavige]] hired Hill & Knowlton, the oldest and largest public relations firm in the world, to oversee a national campaign. ... Hill & Knowlton went to work for the church, putting out phony news stories, often in the form of video news releases made to look like actual reports rather than advertisements. The church began supporting high-profile causes, such as Ted Turner's Goodwill Games, thereby associating itself with other well-known corporate sponsors, such as Sony and Pepsi. There were full-page ads in newsmagazines touting the church's philosophy, and cable television ads promoting Scientology books and Dianetics seminars.}}{{r|rinder|pp=132-133 |quote=Hill & Knowlton was paid handsomely to initially take us on as a client, and then received a large monthly retainer. It seemed we hired them in perfect anticipation of what was to come: In May 1991, ''Time'' magazine published a disastrous cover story by Richard Behar titled "[[The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power]]." It was the most devastating media hit in the history of scientology to that point. ... It was the moment we needed a large firm with influence and contacts most. Instead, Hill and Knowlton's UK parent company demanded Bob Gray terminate his relationship with us. He bowed to the pressure and stopped representing us overnight. ... Regarding Hill and Knowlton dropping us as a client, [[David Miscavige|Miscavige]] was convinced there was a conspiracy between its UK parent company WPP, and drug company Eli Lilly. ... We filed a lawsuit...}}