Overview

• Witnesses allege Rep. Chuck Edwards struck an attendee with a clipboard during a Rotary Club conference in Asheville, North Carolina, following a partisan speech.
• Edwards denies the accusation, claiming he was provoked by a belligerent, intoxicated man who later called the police.
• The Asheville Police Department has confirmed an active investigation into the disturbance but has not released further details.
• The Buncombe County District Attorney’s Office has declined to press charges, citing insufficient probable cause.
• Rotary event organizers apologized publicly to attendees, emphasizing the organization’s commitment to nonpartisanship and respectful discourse.