Previous coverage of Owen Benjamin and Beartaria

To provide clarity and background to today’s article, “His Missouri bear heaven stumbling, Big Bear looking back to Ursa Rio,” I have compiled all the coverage I’ve published on Owen Benjamin and Beartaria as both the Kootenai Valley Times and 9B.News. Clicking on the following links will take you to that story’s headline.

• May 25, 2021; Former comic riles neighbors with ‘Bearteria’ plans
• May 27, 2021; Former comic’s dark colors showing through
• June 10, 2021; Beartaria gets notice of potential violation from county P&Z
• June 16, 2022; Staff report issued for Beartaria hearing
• June 23, 2022; Beartaria decision deferred to county commissioners
• June 27, 2022; Owen Benjamin: ‘They’re drunks, liberals from California’

May 25, 2021

Former comic riles neighbors with ‘Beartaria’ plans

By Mike Weland

A former Hollywood comic now living in Sandpoint is allegedly offering his “Bears,” or fans of his right-wing blog who “donate” $400, the use of a Boundary County property recently purchased on Earl Lane for paramilitary-style training. It’s drawing sharp concern from not only neighboring property owners, most of them retired elderly, but from many in the community concerned of an “Aryan Nations” style compound springing up along the Moyie River.

A group met with Boundary County Commissioners this morning after filing a land-use complaint six weeks ago and hearing nothing back. In a letter April 14 to county contract planner Clare Marley, Ruen-Yeager & Associates, Sandpoint, Terry Auten wrote of selling a ten-acre portion of property he owns on Earl Lane Road to Struggle Bear LLC.

“I’m telling you this because I was recently made aware of an unsettling situation with potential unpleasant outcome and want to do everything I can to prevent it,” he wrote.

He provided a screenshot taken from a social media site dated April 4; “You may now go to Owen’s property! Here’s the address to Bearteria Sanctuary,” the headline reads. “Comedian Owen Benjamin has officially secured land at 774 Earl Lane Rd, Bonners Ferry, Idaho for his new Ruby-Ridge-style compound and has invited EVERYONE who contributed $400 (or any amount) to begin making their way here. We can now begin creating the beautiful dream bear village Owen promised us. See you there, guys!”

“Owen Benjamin Smith is an American comedian, actor, and alt-right political commentator,” his Wikipedia entry reads. “He has repeatedly had his social media accounts on various services suspended or removed for his statements, including hate speech and antisemitism.”

In a packet of information for Marley’s consideration and presented Tuesday to county commissioners was an August 19, 2020, press release issued by Stand Against Supremacy, a citizen’s advocacy group opposing “Owen Benjamin’s White Nationalist Compound in Sandpoint.”

“Former West Hollywood piano comic, turned white supremacist cult leader, Owen Benjamin Smith is raising funds from his followers to purchase over 200 acres in Northern Idaho …” they wrote. “Working with licensed real estate agent Brandon Verrett of Verrett’s Tactical in Bonners Ferry, ID, Smith currently has his eyes set on a large property in Northern Idaho. With plans to ship in 5,000 supporters/cult members that refer to themselves as “bears,” each donating $400 and paying rent to live in trailers on the property while Smith builds a castle.”

Attorney Alison Dunbar, representing Verrett, wrote Wednesday in a letter requesting “a correction be published immediately,” that her client is not a real estate agent and has had no involvement in any real estate transactions with Smith.

“Stand Against White Supremacy may have valiant goals,” she writes, “but their website is not a reputable source of information and provides no sources for the information published.”

That purchase apparently fell through, paving the way for the 10-acre sale, allegedly involving Black Rifle Real Estate, Sandpoint, which caters specifically to the American Redoubt, “the Last Refuge of the American Patriot!”

“Whether you plan to have a bug-out survival property, a full-time family homestead or retire and build your dream home, Rural America gives you ultimate freedom and safety far away from the Sanctuary City,” they write on their website. “Living on a rural property in a Free State also gives you the best chance to survive major events such as an EMP or nuclear strike, invasion by foreign powers and even a possible coming Civil War. Better to be Safe than sorry …”

The firm, it says on their website, “supports and recommends Brandon Verrett, lead instructor for VerTac Firearms Training based in Northern Idaho.”

Verret’s Tactical is said to be the agency set to provide the “bears” tactical firearms training.

“In it (Ursa Rio update #1126 April 27, 2021) he announces that he has selected dates to begin building ‘infrastructure’ and holding a two-week-long documentary event that will ‘include people flying in’ and tactical ‘firearms training by Verrett’s ‘VerTac’ Tactical,” part of the complaint provided planning and zoning and commissioners reads. “All his followers are are invited to attend this ‘epic’ event.”

“While Mr. Verrett does know Mr. Smith,” Dunbar writes, “they have not discussed that Verrett’s Tactical will provide any trainings for Mr. Smith in any capacity.”

In Tuesday’s meeting, neighboring property owners urged expedited action, to include consideration of a cease and desist order, estimating that up to 700 “bears” have donated and are planning to attend the property.

“Owen has purchased 40 cords of wood and 2,000 bags of concrete,” they wrote in a handout given to county commissioners. “He said he will be hauling water from the river to mix concrete … Immediate action on your part needed to prevent escalation. You are the only people who can prevent this reenactment of Ruby Ridge.”

“This poses a clear and present danger,” one long-time Earl Lane resident, a veteran of the 82nd Airborne who saw combat in Vietnam, said. “This is a commercial enterprise offering training in weapons and tactics and not a use allowed in this zone. There is no conceivable reason to allow this use. If we wait too long, it will be too late.”

Commission chair Dan Dinning said they must follow the established process, but commissioners agreed to coordinate with Marley and the prosecutor’s office to move forward as fast as possible.”

—

May 27, 2021

Former comic’s dark colors showing through

By Mike Weland

A former comic and his followers, whom he calls his “bears,” have loudly protested his upstanding nature and good intentions in the wake of an article published Tuesday regarding the concerns of neighbors in the Earl Lane neighborhood where Big Bear Owen Benjamin bought property, but their responses are becoming decidedly unneighborly.

Almost immediately after publication, letters began coming in and comments inundated the KVT Facebook tease, soon becoming uncivil enough to warrant deleting. Phone calls from “bears” began coming in at about 3 a.m. Wednesday and continued until around 8 a.m., demanding retraction and the sources of the story, identities not published in respect for their concern of retaliation.

“I think your article and the people behind this article are a complete disgrace not only for the once proud ‘Nation,’ now submitted by the rampant ignorance of the people, but mostly for the spirit of those who once ruled this land and warned us really clearly about abusive powers and its tactics,” Robert Johnson wrote in reply to the article, “Former comic riles neighbors with ‘Beartaria’ plans. “By the way, you may want to start treating these guys with much more respect; these will be the people who will really build the Nation back from the ashes and the engineered disaster is being under.”

“Your Owen Benjamin story is laughable,” Shick wrote. “I’m not a bear, but I’ve listened on and off to Owen over the past year. He spends most of his time encouraging people to build things and grow crops. Basic self sufficiency as a lost art. Oh, he would probably suggest that you stay away from pop culture, drugs and porn. After all, health is for the mind, body and soul. Regarding the property, he has noted that it can be a camping retreat or possibly a wedding venue.”

“I perceive the published article as threats to me, a man. I am giving you NOTICE of Trespass, Defamation and Slander that you MIKE WELAND, may correct the mistake of Trespass, Defamation and Slander within 1 day of this letter,” Hector Becerra, also called Hector Bear AR, wrote. “The Fee Schedule for failure to correct mistake of Trespass, Defamation and Slander for every day that mistake is not corrected: 1,000 troy ounces of .999 gold (money); or equivalent Federal Reserve Notes equal to 1,000 troy ounce .999 gold value, by cashier’s check and or electronic bank transfer to my personal bank account, equal to 1,000 troy ounce .999 gold value, paid within 21 days of order given and or trespass; My intent is peace and harmony and wishes no ill will to anyone.”

“Dear Grabbler $@#! sucker, defamation lawsuit inbound,” Jed Sinsheimer wrote succinctly. According to a former bear, “Grabbler” is allegedly a word Owen and his followers use to refer to those of Jewish faith.

“Owen has been an enormously positive influence on my life,” Jennifer Perez Lopez wrote. “His message has always been to bloom where you are planted, to focus on growing and not engaging in drama. He encourages people to have children and raise them with love. In real time, during the January 6th Capitol riot, Owen was telling anyone who would listen to never go to an event like that. That if you were there now, to leave immediately. He was against it and advising his audience to stop participating as it was unfolding in real time. He despises war. The idea of him creating a paramilitary training camp is not only insane, it’s criminally actionable libel and slander.”

The words of Owen Benjamin himself, posted on multiple social media outlets, including YouTube, belie that wholesome, happy image.

On Thursday, two gentlemen came into my back yard as I was cleaning a batch of rocks I’m tumbling, camera and sound gear on. They identified themselves as Owen Benjamin’s film crew, and began telling me what a wonderful man the 40-year-old Benjamin was and questioning me about my sources for the article, asking if I was ashamed of myself for causing such a fine man and his family harm.

But it wasn’t long before that line of questioning dried up.

“Where’d you get that earring?” the cameraman/interviewer asked.

“A friend,” I replied. It had belonged to that friend’s deceased step-father, a token of Alcoholic’s Anonymous and symbol of his fight against addiction. It was given me for encouragement after I quit drinking a few years ago after years entrapped by my own addiction.

I was told, however, and with utmost certainty, that this was a symbol of pedophilia.

With that, I asked both to please leave my yard and they complied.

After finishing with my lapidary work for the day, I returned inside, had lunch and checked my email.

“Thank you for writing the article exposing Owen Benjamin’s cult compound in Idaho,” one read. “Unfortunately, it attracted his sycophants as well as drawn his ire. Personally, I can’t stand him and am repulsed by his views and those of his followers. I originally thought he was curating a place for sharing ideas about homesteading, living off grid, etc. and was interested in the nuts and bolts aspect of them. It only took a day or two to realize that was far from the case. He peddles hate, conspiracies, racism, doomsday scenarios but above all is running a grift where people send thousands of dollars to him on a monthly basis. I still have him on my Instagram feed and thought you should see his attack on you from his @rabbiofjudah profile today. Apologies for being the messenger!”

There was a picture of me, just taken, in a screen shot of a social media post that already had 654 likes.

“We interviewed mike weland who wrote the article about me falsely claiming I’m a cult leader,” rabbiofjudah wrote. “Turns out he had a pedo triangle symbol dangle earring, when asked about became very uncomfortable. Look into this guys writings on pedophilia. I don’t have a paramilitary militia, but I’m pretty sure, allegedly, he’s a pedo.”

It wasn’t a look of discomfort, I assure you, but of incredulousness, and the photo captures precisely the moment I decided I’d had enough of this camera crew and became absolutely certain that the concerns raised regarding Owen Benjamin and his merry band of bears have merit and deserve attention.

I’m not yet quite to the point, though, at which I feel it appropriate to demand an immediate retraction and “Federal Reserve Notes equal to 1,000 troy ounce .999 gold value, by cashier’s check and or electronic bank transfer to my personal bank account, equal to 1,000 troy ounce .999 gold value, paid within 21 days of order given and or trespass.”

That visit garnered additional coverage, include articles in the Spokesman Review and the Daily Beast.

—

June 10, 2021

-Beartaria gets notice of potential violation from county P&Z

By Mike Weland

After a meeting of Earl Lane residents and county commissioners May 25, held six weeks after a complaint was filed regarding land use concerns on a ten-acre property owned by Struggle Bear LLC and Owen Benjamin, acting county zoning administrator Clare Marley on June 3 issued a notice of potential violation.

Benjamin, who lives with his family in Sandpoint, is a former Hollywood comic and actor with a following of avid fans he calls “bears” many liken to a cult. His show business career crashed as he began espousing extremist views and denigrating many religious and cultural groups and he’s since been banned from posting on several social media outlets for unacceptable content he and his followers claim is merely “edgy humor.”

“The Boundary County Planning & Zoning Department has been made aware of construction and uses occurring on Assessor’s parcel RP64N02E152114A that require permitting with Boundary County,” Marley wrote. “No applications for the above-mentioned property have been submitted to the planning office as of the date of this letter. These activities may be in violation of Boundary County land use laws.”

“There are no current permits for construction on this property or any current applications,” Marley said.

Calling the property “Beartaria” or “Ursa Rio,” Benjamin has used his various blogs, almost daily podcasts and social media to offer those who send him $400 access to the property, for activities ranging from weddings and family gatherings to learning homesteading and gardening skills in self-sufficiency to paramilitary training in firearms and tactics.

“Comedian Owen Benjamin has officially secured land at 775 Earl Lane Rd., Bonners Ferry, Idaho for his new Ruby Ridge-style compound and has invited EVERYONE who contributed $400 (or any amount) to begin making their way there!” reads a social media post dated April 4. “We can now begin creating the beautiful dream bear village Owen promised us.”

The “Weaver compound” was a simple and remote cabin near Naples with a few outbuildings and garden plots where Randy Weaver and his family lived in near-isolation after Randy refused to become an informant for federal agencies looking into white supremacist activities in the region, a place where unsolicited visitors were not welcome.

It bears no similarity to the plans described by Benjamin and a number of his “bears” who donated now say Beartaria is nothing but an elaborate scam.

“Thank you for writing the article exposing Owen Benjamin’s cult compound in Idaho,” Scott wrote KVT in an email. “I originally thought he was curating a place for sharing ideas about homesteading, living off the grid, etc. and was interested in the nuts and bolts aspect of them. It only took a day or two to realize that was far from the case. He peddles hate, conspiracies, racism, doomsday scenarios but above all is running a grift where people send thousands of dollars to him on a monthly basis.”

Terry Auten, who sold a the property to Benjamin and retains adjoining land, filed complaint with planning and zoning April 14 after seeing some of Benjamin’s videos.

“The You Tube link has some foul language so be forewarned,” he wrote Marley, ” … no telling how many people donated to the nut job cause, expecting to camp or live on his property.”

At the conclusion of the May 25 meeting, commissioners agreed there was reason for concern but said that processes established by ordinance had to be followed. Commission chair Dan Dinning said they would coordinate with Marley and the prosecutor’s office to move forward as fast as possible.

On June 3, a neighboring property owner called Marley to report cement trucks and work crews on the property.

“Clare Marley actually answered her phone,” the neighbor, a retiree asking anonymity out of concerns for reprisal, wrote. “She asked me if I knew what he was doing with the concrete. I said he says he is building cabins … She said there is no stop work order on the property. She is under instructions from the County attorney and County commissioners to send out a letter by regular mail to Benjamin, also email, that is going out today. He has 30 days to respond (she looked it up, because I asked), and then if there is no response, they send a certified letter.

“She said they are ‘gathering evidence’ on what is going on. She said there are so many things that are unrestricted in Boundary County that they need to first determine what he is doing before they take action. She conceded that soliciting money from the public for access would be a recreational/hospitality activity and would require a permit, but they are still gathering evidence. She said she probably needed a sheriff’s escort to go out.

“I asked her, wouldn’t it be easier to gather evidence if they went out to see what was going on? She conceded that was true. So, why haven’t you done that? We’ve been asking you since mid-April. She said she was not going to engage in a back-and-forth discussion with me, as she was under instructions from the county as stated above. I reiterated that all the neighbors were scared and upset.”

“Be advised that failure to comply with the county land use codes is a violation, subject to the penalties of Section 4, which include potential misdemeanors for failure to obtain structural placement permits, commercial placement permits, or conditional use permits,” Marley wrote in the notice she mailed that day. “The county may also take injunctive action to restrain, enjoin or estop any violation of the county land use laws, in accord with the laws of the State of Idaho … Please respond no later than 10 business days from the date of this letter to either make arrangements to abate the potential violation or to confirm that no violations exist.”

As of this morning, Benjamin has not responded.

—

June 16, 2022

Staff report issued for Beartaria hearing

The Boundary County Planning and Zoning administration has released its staff report, prepared by assistant contract planner Tessa Vogel, as regards the conditional use permit application of Struggle Bear LLC to establish a multi-structure residential use to allow for four existing additional primary single-family dwellings on a 10-acre parcel along the Moyie River off Earl Lane Road.

While “four existing additional primary single-family dwellings” is ambiguous, site plans indicate a total of five primary dwellings, some already built, and two “accessory” structures.

If approved, the permit and any conditions opposed would become the controlling legal document for both development and use of the property.

Owen Benjamin, a former Hollywood comic living in Sandpoint, drew sharp concern last year not only from neighboring property owners, most of them retired elderly, but from many in the community concerned by his near daily blogs of an “Aryan Nations” style compound springing up along the Moyie River.

The staff report notes that administrators were notified by the applicant, Owen Benjamin, “that they no longer wish to allow people to camp on site for a fee and only wish to use the property in a private recreational manner.”

The Boundary County Planning and Zoning Commission will hold public hearing at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 23, at the Fairgrounds Memorial Hall, 6571 Recreation Park Road, to take comment.

—

June 23, 2022

Beartaria decision deferred to county commissioners

By Mike Weland

Self-described Hollywood A-list comedian Owen Benjamin conceded at public hearing tonight that the community might have reason for concern, based on misinformation, but told the Boundary County Planning and Zoning Commission that it was misinformation and misunderstanding that tainted the perception of his proposed “Beartaria” development on Earl Lane Road on the Moyie River. That as a “controversial” comic, he was taken out of context.

He was building a total of six dry cabins and a shed on a ten acre parcel in north Boundary County, he said, as a place where he, his friends and family could recreate and join together to garden, grow crops, teach kids to fish … a bucolic paradise. A hostel.

With no one speaking in favor of or neutral to Struggle Bear LLC’s application for a conditional use permit, some of the opposition addressed objective “allowed” concerns specific to roads, water, sewer and safety.

But most who opposed addressed concerns that were based on videos recorded and posted to social media by the applicant himself that very much appear to refute the truth of the applicant and his intents His own words, they said, condemned him.

“The evidence is contrary to what he’s described,” one testified. “Not our words, his.”

“It’s easy to paint me badly,” Benjamin said. “I’m a controversial comic.”

The planning and zoning commission, for the first time in its history, invoked the clause wherein the scope of the application or controversy generated was such that members of the planning and zoning commission are “unable to reach consensus sufficient to render a motion or when it is determined by the planning and zoning commission that decision authority should rest with the board of county commissioners.”

—

June 27, 2022

Owen Benjamin: ‘They’re drunks, liberals from California’

Owen Benjamin posted a nearly three-hour web stream this morning, lauding his own comedic genius and turning his rapier-like “edgy” wit on those who spoke in opposition to his “Beartaria” conditional use proposal at a Boundary County Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing Thursday. Struggle Bear LLC is seeking the permit to waive a violation and allow continued development of cabins on a ten-acre parcel on the Moyie River accessed by Earl Lane Road.

The P&Z commission, unable to reach a decision, deferred decision authority to Boundary County Commissioners, who will schedule a second public hearing on the Struggle Bear LLC conditional use permit application once they receive the P&Z findings.

“I fantasized the s**t I wanted to say to these f**king idiots,” Benjamin said. “They’re drunks, liberals from California, terrified of me because of their disgusting habits, their abortions, what they did in wars … a lot of them have trauma because of Ruby Ridge and the compounds they can’t stop.”

Speaking to his “bears” and reading from their comments in Episode #1431: Chill Sunday Piano, he solicits $400 contributions “to crowd fund a campground” he assured the P&Z commission would be non-commercial and solely for the use of his family and friends, and boasts that he could get 1,000 people to the county commission hearing but wouldn’t, as he supports government in our constitutional republic.

Benjamin claimed at public hearing as well as in his latest episode that he did not actually need a county permit, but that he was following the process in the interest of being a good neighbor.

Per the zoning ordinance, the use does require a conditional use permit, but it appears that zoning administrators applied the wrong set of definitions by which to describe the application, classifying the cabins as “primary single-family dwellings,” or residential, rather than “recreational,” as defined in ordinance Chapter 2.

Under the recreational definition, Chapter 15 of the ordinance establishes that such use with five or fewer units is a moderate use and six or more units a high occupancy use. In the Agriculture/Forestry zone district, five or fewer units could have been allowed with a county development permit, provided that none of the structures were within 500 feet of an existing residence. Six or more units, commercial or not, requires a conditional use permit.

The Struggle Bear LLC application requests six recreational units and one accessory structure.

A conditional use application encompasses all development proposed on a single parcel or lot, and upon issuance, the application, as modified by standards, terms or conditions imposed becomes the controlling plan for that parcel or lot, and will not be changed or expanded without application for a new development permit.

Consideration is given as to whether the application, site plan and additional documentation provided by the applicant sufficiently demonstrate the full scope of the use proposed and whether the use proposed would constitute a public nuisance, impose undue adverse impact to established surrounding land uses or infringe on the property rights of surrounding property owners, and whether terms or conditions could be imposed adequate to mitigate those effects.

Benjamin said at public hearing Thursday that concerns about his fundraising efforts and plans for paramilitary training were for another, larger property in Bonner County he had tried to acquire but failed, and that he had done no such fund raising for the Moyie River property. His conditional use permit application in Boundary County says nothing as to the specifics of his plans for the property, such as what activities will be allowed, who and how many will be allowed, or whether or not there would be on site supervision.

That’s hard to reconcile with social media posts Benjamin made last year that raised the concerns of area property owners, including the man who’d sold him the property.

“I’m telling you this because I was recently made aware of an unsettling situation with potential unpleasant outcome and want to do everything I can to prevent it,” Terry Auten wrote in a complaint to planning and zoning that, having gone unanswered, came before county commissioners May 25, 2021.

He provided a screenshot taken from a social media site dated April 4, 2021; “You may now go to Owen’s property! Here’s the address to Bearteria Sanctuary,” the headline reads. “Comedian Owen Benjamin has officially secured land at 774 Earl Lane Rd, Bonners Ferry, Idaho for his new Ruby-Ridge-style compound and has invited EVERYONE who contributed $400 (or any amount) to begin making their way here. We can now begin creating the beautiful dream bear village Owen promised us. See you there, guys!”

“This poses a clear and present danger,” long-time Earl Lane resident Ken Lustig said. “This is a commercial enterprise offering training in weapons and tactics and not a use allowed in this zone. There is no conceivable reason to allow this use. If we wait too long, it will be too late.”

“The Boundary County Planning & Zoning Department has been made aware of construction and uses occurring on Assessor’s parcel RP64N02E152114A that require permitting with Boundary County,” zoning administrator Clare Marley wrote Benjamin June 3, 2021. “No applications for the above-mentioned property have been submitted to the planning office as of the date of this letter. These activities may be in violation of Boundary County land use laws.”

If county commissioners conclude the application is complete and demonstrates the full scope of the use proposed, they can impose specific terms and conditions limiting the use to that defined, as well to protect against undue adverse impact to surrounding property owners and the community as a whole.