Agreed. In my opinion, Ted should have gotten out in front of this thing when it first blew up. Unfortunately, he failed the leadership test when his first response was that no one in his campaign would be disciplined for it.
He might not have been able to think outside of the “punishment” box. But grace frequently does do that. It would have been at least equally credible to announce that he has exhorted his team to have a higher vision in the future, and takes personal ownership of the oversight. And nobody would have had to be punished except perhaps in a mutual swallowing of their prides.