Missouri Republican candidate allegedly tried to plant drugs on primary opponent: Investigators
uncertain
candidate → try → opponent
The state GOP has called on Thomas Christopher Ross to withdraw from the race.
asserted
GOP → call → race
A Republican candidate for a Missouri State House seat was hit with a federal charge after he allegedly tried to plant drugs on his primary opponent, federal prosecutors alleged.
uncertain
prosecutors → hit → opponent
Thomas Christopher Ross, who won the Republican primary last month for Missouri House District 161 in Joplin, was charged Wednesday with conspiring to distribute a controlled substance after authorities discovered the alleged plot to plant cocaine and Adderall in the car of Louise Secker, who faced Ross in the Republican primary.
asserted
who → win → primary
Ross's campaign manager contacted the police in July after the candidate allegedly gave him the drugs and instructed him to plant them on Secker, the criminal complaint released Thursday said.
uncertain
complaint → contact → Secker
The unidentified campaign manager brought a bag of cocaine and an Adderall pill to the police, who confirmed they were real after tests, according to the criminal complaint.
"[The campaign manager] advised at the time that Ross was believed to have a prescription for Adderall, which was where he believed the capsule originated," the complaint said.
uncertain
complaint → bring → Adderall
The campaign manager showed law enforcement alleged text messages between himself and Ross, 37, where the candidate allegedly discussed the plot, with references going as far back as May, according to the complaint.
"I was hoping we could make it happen before THIS Thursday...which would be extreme egg on the face given Thursdays nights event [sic]," the alleged May 31 text from Ross read, according to the criminal complaint.
uncertain
text → show → complaint
The police called in the FBI to help with the investigation and the bureau provided the campaign manager with a covert recorder that was used on July 31 to document a meeting between him and Ross, the complaint said.
asserted
complaint → call → him
During the meeting, the campaign manager told Ross that he still had the drugs and asked the candidate if he still wanted him to "try" and plant the drugs on Secker, according to the complaint.
uncertain
him → tell → complaint
Ross allegedly agreed and told the campaign manager that he could "call in an anonymous tip that Secker had drugs in her car," the complaint said.
uncertain
complaint → agree → car
"[I]f you can pull it off...pull it off," Ross allegedly told the campaign manager, according to the criminal complaint.
uncertain
Ross → pull → complaint
Ross defeated Secker in the primary four days later by only 33 votes, and was set to face off against Democratic candidate Aaron Metzger in the general election.
asserted
Ross → defeat → election
I am truly grateful, and I will work every day to be a representative you can be proud of," Ross, a married father of two, said in a social media post after his victory.
asserted
Ross → work → victory
He was held at Joplin Municipal Jail, according to jail records.
uncertain
He → hold → records
Ross has not entered a plea and a preliminary and detention hearing is scheduled for Sept. 9, according to court documents.
uncertain
hearing → enter → documents
His public defender didn't immediately return messages for comment.
asserted
defender → return → comment
Ross' campaign didn't immediately return messages.
asserted
campaign → return → messages
Missouri Republican Party Chairman Peter Kinder released a statement Wednesday after the charges were revealed and called on Ross to drop out of the race.
asserted
charges → release → race
"The people of Southwest Missouri deserve nothing less than leadership they can trust," he said in a statement.
asserted
he → deserve → statement
An attorney representing Secker sent a statement to ABC News Friday declining to comment on the investigation.
asserted
attorney → represent → investigation
Metzger said in a statement to ABC News Friday that it was "disappointing" to see the news.
asserted
it → say → news
"It looks like the same kind of behavior a lot of us see in our politicians all around the country.
asserted
lot → look → country
It's also one of the reasons I decided to run, because like many others I am tired of seeing this behavior from our elected officials," Metzger said.
asserted
Metzger → decide → officials
The Aporia
