Walkergate: Santa Doe Gives Tim Russell Another Lump Of Coal

As the gentle reader is aware, Scott Walker's lifelong friend, campaign worker and aide, Tim Russell, took the fall for his old buddy and was sentenced to two years in prison for stealing money from a ersatz veterans fund (which really was nothing more than a campaign stunt for Walker).

Sadly, Russell could have and should have been charged with so much more but Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm was unable or unwilling to get the job done.  Russell was heavily involved with the caucus-style of illegal politicking going on in the courthouse, including setting up the secret router that Walker and company used to avoid open record requests.

Like his co-conspirator, Kelly Rindfleisch, Russell decided a slap on the wrist was too much and appealed his conviction, even though he had pleaded guilty.

Predictably, it did not go as well as Russell was hoping:

A Wisconsin appeals court has upheld a theft conviction against a former aide of Gov. Scott Walker when he was Milwaukee County executive.

The 1st District Court of Appeals on Tuesday ruled against Tim Russell in his appeal of his 2012 conviction.

Russell was Walker's deputy chief of staff in 2009 and 2010 and was charged with stealing more than $21,000 from a nonprofit group benefiting veterans. He pleaded guilty to one felony theft count and was sentenced to 2 years in prison.

Russell argued on appeal that he was wrongly sentenced for the crime of misconduct in office, rather than theft. He also argued that he was ordered to pay $5,000 more in restitution than was proper.

But the appeals court upheld the lower court's rulings in both instances.

Even the appeal didn't work out, Russell can take some solace that his time in the big house will be over within a month - provided he keeps his nose clean.

Then the only question is what strings Walker will pull to reward his old chum for his silence all this time.  And you know that will happen, otherwise Russell might write a kiss and tell book which would torpedo Walker's presidential aspirations.