37-year-old Republican Thomas Ross was arrested in the US state of Missouri for trying to frame his opponent in the party primaries, Louise Secker, by planting a glove with drugs on her. The engineer and politician eventually won the primary, despite his campaign manager thwarting his plan by calling the police.
Federal prosecutors said the complaint was made to police on July 30, less than a week before the Aug. 4 primary. Ross and Secker were running for the Republican nomination for one of the Missouri House seats.
A former employee of Ross's headquarters, identified in the press release under the initials CS, contacted the police. According to him, the boss demanded that he put a black nylon glove with illegal substances in Secker's bag or glove compartment while he was away.
As the Associated Press (AP) adds, citing the FBI, in personal messages to his manager, Ross expressed hope that drugs could be planted before Secker's visit to a Republican women's campaign event in Joplin in June. According to him, her opponent, a realtor and marketer by profession, should have been “extremely disgraced.”
The police did find a small bag of white powder and a pink and white capsule in the glove handed over by Ross's ex-assistant. Laboratory tests confirmed the drugs were cocaine and Adderall, a prescription drug made from amphetamine salts.
“Candidates are expected to campaign with integrity, honesty and respect for their opponents, which will allow voters to make informed decisions without fear of being misinformed,” said prosecutor Matthew Price in connection with Ross’s arrest.
Authorities did not say why Ross was not arrested before the election, in which he ultimately beat Secker by several dozen votes. The winner of the primary now faces prison time if convicted of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
Ross, on his official campaign website, emphasized that he supports family values (he is married and has two children), and also called the fight against drug addiction in the district one of his goals as a legislator.
“His decision to run was driven by his desire to create a better future for his children and all the families of Joplin. Faced with challenges in our district, including increased crime, homelessness and drug addiction, Thomas came to the conclusion that stable and accountable leadership was needed,” the Republican website reads.
Missouri Republican Caucus Chairman Peter Kinder called Ross' arrest a “serious and extremely troubling situation.” He called on him to withdraw his candidacy from the Nov. 3 election, but did not specify how a replacement would be selected. Neither Ross nor his opponent have yet commented on the situation. The politician is currently represented in court by a government lawyer.
