Source: SFGate
“A candidate for the Missouri House made an initial court appearance Thursday on a federal drug charge accusing him of trying to plant cocaine and Adderall on his Republican primary opponent. Thomas Ross, 37, is charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. He’s accused of asking a campaign manager to plant a small amount of cocaine and a prescription amphetamine pill on his opponent, Louise Secker, in the weeks leading up to the Aug. 4 primary, according to court documents. Ross, of Joplin, defeated Secker by only a few dozen votes. Ross did not respond to a Thursday message seeking comment about the charge, which was filed Wednesday. The federal public defender’s office assigned to his case didn’t immediately reply to a message asking how Ross plans to plead. Missouri’s Republican Party chairman, Peter Kinder, called on Ross to drop out of the race, describing the circumstances of his arrest as ‘serious and deeply troubling’.” (09/03/26)