The Keenans won the auction today and said they hope to sell the property soon in order to repay loans taken out to support their bid, including one from the Southern Poverty Law Center, which played a pivotal role in their lawsuit. They expect to have no difficulty in finding a buyer, with the chief condition being that the tract remain out of [Richard Butler]'s reach.

There had been some concern that the property could wind up back in Butler's hands despite his court loss last year. One of his chief supporters, a millionaire named Vincent Bertollini, has been providing Butler with a home and other financial support, and it was believed he might try to bid on the $250,000 parcel, and then allow Butler to live there free.

The end of the Aryan Nations does not necessarily mean the end of Butler's career of preaching racial hatred. He is planning another annual "Aryan Congress" in the area this summer, except that now it will be held at Farragut State Park, a large facility on the southern end of nearby Lake Pend Oreille.