Scientology accuses A&E of 'hypocrisy' for scrapping KKK series while supporting Leah Remini show

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The Church Of Scientology accused A&E of 'hypocrisy' for cancelling their Ku Klux Klan docuseries while still airing Leah Remini: Scientology And Its Aftermath.

A&E announced on Saturday that it was scrapping its eight-part KKK documentary after learning some participants of the hate group were paid for their participation in the series.

The network dropped Escaping the KKK: A Documentary Series Exposing Hate In America a day after discovering that 'nominal' cash payments were given by third-party producers.

Cable docuseries: The Church of Scientology in a letter from its lawyer accused A&E of 'hypocrisy' for cancelling its KKK docuseries while still airing Leah Remini: Scientology And Its Aftermath

Scientology in a letter sent from its lawyer to A&E on Tuesday claimed that 'two on-air accusers/participants' in Remini's docuseries 'received substantial cash payments for their participation, in violation of the same standards,' according to an article on Wednesday by TMZ.

The letter from Scientology attorney Gary S. Soter also claimed that others on the Remini series have received 'in-kind payments in the form of free advertising and promotion for anti-Scientology books they have published'. 

The letter also claimed that Scientology has received hate mail and dozens of threats directed at church leadership since the series started airing.

'A&E has applied its policies and practices in an invidious and discriminatory manner. We can think of no justification for A&E’s hypocrisy,' the letter said. 

Critical series: Remini, shown in January in Las Vegas, is an executive producer and presenter of the docuseries Leah Remini: Scientology And Its Aftermath on A&E

'The Church of Scientology respectfully demands fair and equal treatment. There is no reason for A&E to depart from its stated ''policies and practices'' with regard to the Remini program,' the letter added. 

An A&E official told TMZ there was a distinction between the two shows pointing out that Remini is an executive producer and 'not the member of a hate group.'

Remini, 46, was raised as a Scientologist and has become a vocal critic since her departure. She's been hosting the new nine-part series Leah Remini: Scientology And Its Aftermath. 

Critic: The actress, 46, made the remarks during an interview on Friday with Larry King as she promotes her A&E documentary series Leah Remini: Scientology And The Aftermath

Remini during a recent appearance on Larry King Now defended herself from criticism levelled by Scientology.

'The church calls your reality show ''a scripted, rehearsed, acted and dramatized work of fiction featuring liars who have, for a profit, been telling differing versions of the same false tales of abuse for years, many reviewed and discredited in courts of law'',' King told her.

'They're saying you [are] liars,' he added.

Tell all: Remini , shown in November 2015 in New York City, was raised in Scientology from the age of nine and left the organization in 2013. Last year she published a memoir Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology

Remini who left Scientology in July 2013 after being a member since age nine took their stance in stride.

'Then they should sue us. It's as simple as that,' Remini told King.

'They say this on every outlet they can. They have said that about every single person who's spoken out, and not one lawsuit has been brought to anybody,' continued.

'This is not a group that is scared of a lawsuit. They're a litigious group. If that were true, they would simply sue us. And I welcome them to do that,' she added.

In addition to her A&E docuseries, Remini last year also published the memoir Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology.

Remini in the same interview was asked by King if she thought actor Tom Cruise is 'delusional' for being a member and prominent proponent of Scientology.

The King Of Queens star said that she did believe he was delusional, in the same way that she was delusional while a believer.

'I could say that about myself at the time,' she explained. 

'I didn't want to look. I didn't want to believe that what I've been involved in my whole life was a lie, that it was damaging and hurting people,' she said. 'Yeah, you can say I was delusional.'

Devout: Tom Cruise, pictured at the inauguration of the Church of Scientology in Madrid in September 2004, has been a Scientologist for 30 years. In October, he told ITV News that he considers it 'a beautiful religion' and is 'very proud' to be a member

Back in October, Cruise, who has been a Scientologist for 30 years, praised his faith. calling it 'a beautiful religion.'

In a rare comment about Scientology, the 54-year-old actor told ITV News at the Jack Reacher 2: Never Go Back premiere in London:  'It's something that has helped me incredibly in my life, 

'It's something, you know, without it, I wouldn't be where I am,' he continued. 'So it's a beautiful religion. I'm incredibly proud.' 

Larry King Now airs on Ora.TV and Hulu.