"In Toledo today, a county judge ordered Thomas Noe, the big Republican fund-raiser whose rare coin scandal rippled across state G.O.P. politics, to repay $13.7 million. He was sentenced last week to 18 years in prison. The judge said the amount included the money embezzled from the state investments as well as $3 million that the investigation/prosecution cost.

One of his right-hand aides also pleaded guilty today to records tampering.

You might ask why we care? As far as scandals go, this one has been partly credited with (or blamed for) the losses suffered by Republicans in the governor’s race, in several statewide races, and possibly washed over congressional races as well as the Senate race in which Mike DeWine, the incumbent, was ousted by Sherrod Brown."