He’s right in this case. This is another Barr Kabuki dance to make us all think something is happening and drag it out so our outrage slowly dissipates. There will be an announcement on a Friday in August or September that ... Surprise! ... despite findings of disturbing breaches of protocol and procedure, there was no intent to break the law and new training is now in place. No charges and no disciplinary actions to be taken. You watch.
IMHO your estimation is spot on...Run out the clock on the already short attention span of the people, and allow anger to dissipate...
At most some low or mid level people get a slap on the wrist, followed (maybe) by a few months in a “Club Fed”, sentence cut by 2/3 for good behavior...Followed by the inevitable tell-all book deals and the speaker circuit where the free lunch and payola continue...
Part of being a swamp creature is knowing how to take a pinch when it’s necessary to protect the boss and cool the ire of the people...