Welcome to Berkeley Springs, WV, a place where all are welcome.
This website was created to let those uninformed citizens and tourists know that there exists a group of people in this community who adamantly oppose VDARE, its supporters and their continued presence in Berkeley Springs. While they have gathered some support from this community, hopefully that is waning due to their recent court cases.
UPDATE: The US Attorney General’s Office is considerng refiling charges against Letitia James as the Judge’s dismissal was made in such a way that charges could be refiled. I guess we will wait and see.
UPDATE: All “trumped-up” charges against Prosecutor Letitia James have been dropped. Her civil case against the Brimelows is still in play. Will Trump intervene if the Brimelows are found guilty? More to come on this story.
UPDATE: Two very large Christmas wreathes were hung by VDare in the town. They are still an active foundation in WV. Denise Trent Selby is defendng the action on the grounds of anti-discrimination. Many people in the town are very upset by the presence of the wreathes in the town.
Overview
VDARE’s philosophy has been coined as, “white nationalism” although the Brimelows maintain that they are simply involved in immigration policy. Apparently, they had a difficult time finding a venue for their meetings because of their immigration policy, so they bought the Berkeley Castle to hold meetings for their political activities.
The foundation operated from the historic Berkeley Castle, a 19th-century property originally built by Samuel Taylor Suit. In 2020, the VDARE Foundation, a Connecticut-based nonprofit, purchased the castle for $1.4 million heraldmailmedia.com. Following legal and financial challenges, including investigations by the New York Attorney General, the Brimelows shut down VDARE and established the Berkeley Castle Foundation to manage the property Morgan Messenger.
The foundation’s mission includes providing venue space for community events and historical tours Cause IQ. However, some of the events hosted were conducted by VDARE to hold meetings to allegedly further their white nationalist agenda. Although VDARE has stopped its formal operations, there have been Facebook postings stating those who are supportive of VDARE’s philosophy intend to meet from time to time at the castle to continue supporting VDARE’s agenda.
The castle is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is open to the public for events and tours The Berkeley Springs Castle. While the foundation has faced scrutiny due to its association with the VDARE Foundation, it allegedly continues to operate as a separate entity focused on preserving the castle’s history and serving the community. Nonetheless, this may not be the entire picture.
The Berkeley Springs Castle & Related Property Transactions
What is known / alleged about the castle purchase and property dealings:
There are also alleged backdated loans and pledging of VDARE assets as collateral for loans from family-controlled companies. New York State Attorney General+2Southern Poverty Law Center+2
In 2020, VDARE bought a “medieval-style castle” in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, for about $1.4 million using charitable funds. New York State Attorney General+2Southern Poverty Law Center+2
Soon after, the title to the castle (or portions thereof) was transferred to entities controlled by the Brimelows (BCF, BBB, etc.). There are alleged deeds / real estate transfers among these entities. New York State Attorney General+3Southern Poverty Law Center+3The Washington Post+3
Also alleged: VDARE paid rent to those entities for use of the castle (a “rent-back” scheme). e.g., rent reportedly rose from ~$6,000/month to ~$33,000/month in a span of months. New York State Attorney General+1
Needless to say, the Brimelow’s and their business dealings seem to be questionable. As this case unfolds, hopefully justice will be served. How much the Trump administration, under the influence of Stephen Miller, is weighing in on the attempt to dissuade the prosecutor, Leticia James is a story to follow. As new facts emerge, we will post them.