Missouri candidate charged with framing rival with drugs

Thomas Christopher Ross, the Republican nominee for a Missouri statehouse seat, has been charged in federal court with conspiracy to distribute narcotics. Prosecutors allege Ross plotted to plant drugs on his primary election rival, Louise Secker, in the final months of the race. Ross, 37, won the Republican primary for the 161st district of the Missouri House of Representatives by a narrow margin of 33 votes.

According to a federal complaint and FBI affidavit, Ross spent weeks devising a plan with his campaign manager to surreptitiously place a black nylon glove containing cocaine and a capsule of the prescription stimulant Adderall into Secker's car or purse. The campaign manager would then alert law enforcement through an anonymous tip. The affidavit states the plot was to be executed while Ross was on vacation.

The FBI statement said Ross sent numerous text messages to his campaign staffer regarding “the substance.” In one, Ross said he hoped “that we could make it happen” before Secker attended a Republican women’s meeting at a Joplin restaurant, “which would be extreme egg on the face,” according to the FBI document.

The investigation began when the campaign manager alerted Joplin, Missouri police, who subsequently involved the FBI. The aide provided authorities with the drugs and text messages shared with Ross.

Neither Ross nor his attorneys could be immediately reached for comment. The chairman of the Missouri Republican Party, Peter Kinder, issued a statement calling for Ross to resign, citing the seriousness of the allegations. Secker and her campaign have not yet responded. U.S. Attorney R. Matthew Price stated that voters deserve confidence in elections and that candidates must conduct campaigns with integrity, honesty, and respect for opponents. If convicted, Ross faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.