A Republican legislative candidate in Joplin plotted to plant cocaine and Adderall on his primary opponent in an effort to derail her campaign, federal prosecutors allege. Thomas Ross, who won the Republican nomination for Missouri’s 161st House District by only 32 votes, was charged Wednesday with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. A criminal complaint […]

Thomas Ross, the Republican nominee for Missouri’s 161st House District, is being held without bond in the Joplin City Jail after being arrested Wednesday on an “unspecified warrant,” according to the city’s public safety portal. Missouri Republican Party Chairman Peter Kinder called on Ross to “immediately withdraw his candidacy” in a social media statement Wednesday. […]