Fourth Ward Councilman Ian Thomas has been charged with a misdemeanor after negotiating a quid pro quo with two developers last year, Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson confirmed Thursday.
Thomas was charged with attempting to commit an act prohibited by a public official for offering to lend his support to a development project if the developers supported affordable housing.
The councilman broke the news himself, emailing constituents Thursday morning to inform them of the charges. In the email, he said he intends to plead not guilty mount a defense in court. The charge against Thomas is a class C misdemeanor, "the lowest level misdemeanor offense under Missouri law," the councilman's lawyer, Christopher Slusher, noted in a press release.
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