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It was a tough split for OLHC and Fr Starbuck. A lot of people with their emotions running high, perhaps said and did things they have since regretted. Wounds were very raw after losing Fr Perez, and so unexpectedly. Deaths of loved ones are always tough on families, and parish families also.
Would it be too soon to say that Fr Starbuck is now doing quite well under the circuмstances? He is well loved, has much support from laity, to the point of needing three Masses to serve them all!
The people lost one priest, but God didn’t send them away empty handed.

Perhaps I’m already used to the catacombs that it already seems so simple to me for a priest to set up just about anywhere for a Mass.
I had the joy once of having Mass said in my own living room at home years ago. What a gift..that ONE MASS.

Let them have their chapel building, you have a priest in Fr Starbuck.

Beautifully said.

Abbate did NOT ordain Schweikert. Read it again.
https://wrldrels.org/2020/05/10/new-jerusalem-church-of-the-celestial-messenger/

1955 (June 4):  John E. Schweikert was ordained a priest in the North American Old Roman Catholic Church.
1958 (June 8):  Schweikert was consecrated a bishop in the North American Old Roman Catholic Church.
1963 (October 13):  Abbate died, and Marianna Monachino, the Mother General of The Order of Our Most Blessed Mother, Queen of Peace Reincarnated, took over the administration of the New Jerusalem Church.
1964–1965?:  The Mother General approached the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chicago, trying to convince them to send a priest who could administer the sacraments in the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church.
1965:  By referral of Roman Catholic clergy, the Mother General contacted John E. Schweikert, who had recently become the Archbishop-Primate of the North American Old Roman Catholic Church. He accepted to administer the sacraments while investigating the status of the New Jerusalem Catholic Church.
1965 (September 16):  Schweikert said his first Mass in the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church.
1967 (December 1):  The Mother General appointed Schweikert the Successor of the Celestial Messenger, Giuseppe Maria Abbate, though Schweikert did not believe in Abbate’s divine status, nor accept his episcopal consecration.
1968 (February 18):  Archbishop Schweikert was enthroned as the Celestial Messenger’s successor, and he was given the name Santo Padre Maria Michael I.

Learn the distinction between weird, evil, bad, etc. and valid.

That has zero to do with validity. Do you understand the distinction? A man may indeed be downright evil but still confer valid sacraments. I have not seen anyone here, including me, claim that he is a good priest or that he should not be investigated, or that anyone should receive sacraments from him.
If he is a priest, he should be addressed as Father, not to honor him but to honor HIM.
If he is a priest, he would be an option in an emergency situation. If I were near death and my choices were no priest or valid but weird priest guess what? I would choose the weirdo.

That is a big If, at the center of this whole issue. And yes I understand the distinction but I don't think you see the severity of the problem. Let me stress this point, kids are potentially in danger by having someone with a position of authority be around them without being properly identified, not just as a priest but as any grown adult would have in position of authority before children, whether it be a teacher, principal on in this case including a priest, etc. that has that level of access to children and trust from children. I'm not accusing him of anything, just making an observation that having that position of authority could be abused and I would hope that said position of authority would be scrutinized.

How can he defend, protect and impart the faith while doing things that could endanger the faith? Now a chapel is divided over this. I doubt a good priest that understands the privilege of the priesthood would let all these questions about his validity and basic identification clutter the minds of his sheep making them scatter.