Rep. Chuck Edwards Allegedly Assaults Man at Rotary Club Event

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This article was jointly published by TPM and The Assembly , which publishes deep reporting on power and place in North Carolina.

A local Rotary event in Asheville on Saturday evening seems to have concluded with a dispute involving U.S. Representative Chuck Edwards (R), representing Western North Carolina, and an unidentified individual. Eyewitnesses claim that the congressman assaulted the participant.

“One of the members had a dispute at one of the tables with another Rotarian, and Chuck became agitated and struck him with a binder, saying 'love you man' as he left," recounted a Rotarian requesting confidentiality to avoid straining his connection with the group.”

“The guy he hit called the police and claimed he was assaulted,” the emailer continued.

McClatchy newspapers published A comparable account was shared on Monday night, citing Rotary member Guy Gooder, who mentioned he listened to the commotion but did not witness it personally.

The man had an exchange with Edwards following the congressman’s speech, according to Gooder. "Chuck stopped and leaned in somewhat aggressively," Gooder recounted to McClatchy, adding that Edwards allegedly struck the man with his clipboard while he remained seated. As per Gooder, both individuals subsequently left the conference room.

Neither Edwards' offices in Washington, D.C., nor in his district, replied to our requests for comments by Monday evening.

McClatchy reported On initial reports from Sunday, including a statement from Edwards asserting that he "chose not to interact with a drunk individual who was using profanity" following his address.

“The individual grew increasingly hostile and eventually contacted the authorities,” the report went on. “His conduct was humiliating for those attending the gathering and attracted significant attention from law enforcement. As far as I know, the police did not pursue the matter further.”

Rick Rice, the Public Information Officer for the Asheville Police Department, verified through a text message sent on Saturday night that his department was looking into an incident where Edwards was reportedly involved. According to Rice, they didn’t know the gender or age of the individual who made the complaint as of then. He mentioned additional details could be obtained after Monday. Additionally, he referred this journalist to submit a formal public records request concerning the police report. As of late Monday, such a request hadn’t yet been processed.

On Monday morning, Rice replied through a text message stating, "The investigation is still underway. We do not have any additional information to share at present."

Rumor Mill in Overdrive

Reports began to emerge over the weekend that some kind of confrontation had occurred at the Embassy Suites Hilton Downtown Asheville where the conference was taking place. But what actually happened and who was the aggressor has remained the subject of mystery and plenty of rumors.

Across Western North Carolina, various Rotary Clubs convened for a conference centered around the theme "Peace in Action," culminating in the dedication of a peace pole at Pritchard Park. Typically, such events held by Regional Rotary District 7670 might be considered routine affairs primarily catching the attention of fellow Rotarians. However, news rapidly circulated on Saturday evening about a situation involving Edwards that caught public notice.

Without additional details, speculations spread throughout the weekend and into Monday, as various accounts of the incident reached journalists.

In a text message, Rotary District 7670’s Governor Connie Molland mentioned she understood that the Buncombe County District Attorney’s Office had concluded "there wasn’t sufficient probable cause, so they were discontinuing the investigation." She described the circumstances as quite unclear.

The office of Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams did not reply to a request for comments sent late Monday.

Molland went on to say, "The theme of our conference was 'Peace in Motion,' which reflects Rotary's significant efforts in fostering peace and comprehension globally. It is essential that everyone involved in Rotary events recognizes their duty to uphold an atmosphere that encourages security, politeness, honor, and mutual respect."

An Intense Discussion in the Hotel Car Park

Further reports from Saturday night indicate another possibility regarding the incident beyond claims of an office supply-related attack. It might have simply been a bump or a deliberate but unintentional shoulder hit.

“As I was in the lobby during the unfolding events,” noted an informant who wasn’t at the hotel for the Rotary gathering but was present in the lobby. “I was leaving the lobby heading towards the parking lot when a man dressed in a suit hurried past, exclaiming loudly that he had been attacked.”

“He kept saying ‘that’s assault, I have five witnesses, you hit me, I’m calling the police’ and a lady in yellow was following him begging him ‘Please don’t do this!’”

The man in the suit eventually caught up with Edwards, the witness said, and continued saying that he’d been assaulted. “They all started a relatively quiet discussion,” the witness wrote, providing a photograph of Edwards talking to several men and a woman in a yellow dress.

The sender mentioned that everyone present, including themselves, felt doubtful and puzzled about the incident. They believed "that Chuck did not strike the man directly since neither anyone around him nor others in the lobby stepped in or shared their observations." Despite the crowded conditions with numerous conference participants both in the lobby and bar, nobody appeared to have clear information regarding what transpired.

“Someone said, ‘He’s a congressman, there’s no way he just hauled off and slapped a man in public.”

Chris Cooper, professor of political science and public affairs at Western Carolina University, said he had heard rumors about a “disturbance,” but none of them have been firsthand or particularly detailed.

Even though "wild rumors" are common in politics, Cooper pointed out that the particular claim of assault using a binder or clipboard appears inconsistent with what we understand about Chuck Edwards and his meticulous behavior.

But Cooper also acknowledged political tensions are sky-high. The fact that there was a confrontation at a Rotary event, which is “a relatively apolitical” organization, is worrisome, he explained.

If the Rotary Club isn't a place where individuals can engage in amicable debates, then I'm not sure what qualifies as one.

This story originally appeared on Talking Points Memo .

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