In a statement posted publicly today on the existing HCGOP website, the former Horry County Republican Party leadership team of Roger Slagle (Former Chairman) and Tracy Bean Diaz (Former State E.C.) apologized to Rock The Red attendee Matthew McDaniel.

The statement reads:

The HCGOP and its leadership respectfully apologize to Mr. McDaniel for the previous statements that were made about him with regards to an incident that took place last year at the “Rock The Red” event in Greenville, S.C. After reviewing the police report, we believe that Mr. McDaniel did not possess a weapon or mention anything about Antifa. We regret those remarks and apologize to anyone who may have taken those remarks as factual.

Chad Caton slams Matthew McDaniel as event closes

MyrtleBeachSC News first reported on this story on June 6, 2021. Local activist and former HCGOP shadow figure, Chad Caton, body slammed a Democrat named Matthew McDaniel as the event closed. Caton, along with his wife, Elizabeth Caton, work behind the scenes managing the HCGOP social media pages.

Later, Caton claimed McDaniel had a weapon and was a member of Antifa. These lies were spread across social media and broadcast on Tracy Bean’s streaming Undercover DC website.

These falsehoods were also publicly posted on the Horry County Republican page website. They have since been removed.

Local activist Chad Caton has not changed his narrative on these statements, however. His last public comments on the incident continue to promote the false narrative that McDaniel had a weapon, that he was a member of Antifa, and that Lt. General Michael Flynn’s life was at risk.

We reached out to Chad Caton after this article was published. He has yet to respond.

Caton faces a defamation lawsuit filed by McDaniel.

It is highly likely that Diaz and Slagle will give testimony in court about the truthfulness of Caton’s statements.

Letter sent to former HCGOP leadership team