The fast-food empire of a North Carolina congressman has been rocked by a series of alarming incidents that starkly contrast with his carefully crafted image as a successful businessman and public servant.
Deadly Shooting and Controversial Hiring
Republican Chuck Edwards, who won his congressional seat in 2023 by promoting his business acumen, faces serious questions about his company's hiring practices after a fatal shooting at one of his McDonald's locations. The tragedy occurred when Sam Ivey, 37, pleaded guilty to shooting dead Jaclyn Reed, a 30-year-old mother, at the Hendersonville, North Carolina restaurant in 2023.
Court documents reveal that Ivey was employed by Edwards's company, C. Edwards Group, despite having an extensive criminal history that included an assault conviction involving a firearm. The victim's family subsequently filed a lawsuit claiming the company failed to properly train staff and "knew or should have known" about Ivey's dangerous background.
The case was settled out of court in March this year, but not before revealing that Ivey was carrying a semi-automatic pistol - illegal for a convicted felon - along with another handgun modified to be fully automatic.
Health and Safety Failures
The congressman's restaurant chain has also faced significant health and safety controversies. In August 2018, health officials identified an Edwards-owned McDonald's in Brevard as the source of a major norovirus outbreak that sickened approximately 300 people.
Transylvania County health authorities traced the outbreak to "human contamination" at the establishment. Edwards's wife Teresa stated the restaurant was closed for a "deep clean" out of "an abundance of caution," reopening after just a couple of days according to Food Safety News.
Disturbing Food Contamination Claims
Perhaps the most stomach-churning allegations emerged in a 2010 lawsuit involving one of Edwards's Henderson County locations. Customer Priscilla Moss claimed she discovered a "jelly-like substance" in her burger that turned out to be insect eggs, followed by live worms within the meat.
When the offending sandwich was sent to North Carolina health authorities for testing, laboratory analysis confirmed it contained fly larvae. The case was eventually dismissed in 2012 following an apparent out-of-court settlement.
Further legal troubles emerged in 2022 when Cynthia James filed a personal injury lawsuit after slipping on used cooking oil that had been improperly dumped in the parking lot of one of Edwards's restaurants in 2019. She claimed staff had been pouring used grease down a storm drain, resulting in injuries requiring multiple surgeries.
These multiple controversies present a stark contrast to Edwards's political narrative of business success and customer service excellence, raising serious questions about operational standards within his franchise operations.
