As you may have read below, we learned today that Tom Noe, the Republican moneyman at the center of the missing-millions scandal in Ohio, has put his luxurious Key West home on the market for $4.6 million.

Now comes word that a top advisor to two Ohio Republican governors has admitted he participated in the money laundering scheme Noe orchestrated in order to funnel illegal contributions to President Bush and other Republican candidates last year.

H. Douglas Talbott, a former top aide to two Ohio governors, told federal authorities that Republican coin dealer Tom Noe persuaded him to contribute $2,000 to President Bush’s re- election campaign – then reim bursed him for the donation, The Plain Dealer has learned.

Talbott appeared Wednesday before a federal grand jury in Toledo that is investigating whether Noe illegally reimbursed as many as two dozen contributors to a Bush fund- raiser in October 2003. The grand jury is looking into whether Noe made the reimbursements to circumvent campaign finance laws, which limit individual contributions to $2,000.

His appearance before the grand jury marked the first time a former top aide to Gov. Bob Taft and former Gov. George Voinovich has been linked to the federal investigation of possible laundering of Bush campaign money.

Repeated attempts to reach Talbott were unsuccessful.

(Thanks Julie!)