Making Republicans better -- Is there a difference?

From the Pioneer Press --

[Gov. Tim] Pawlenty, who repeatedly has criticized a lower court ruling in December that struck down the cigarette fee, said the Supreme Court ruling validated his argument. "The legal conclusion was obvious from the start," he said.

Sorry, Tim. The Supreme Court ruled on the law. You still pulled a fast one to get around the “no new taxes” pledge. In case it wasn’t explained, the spirit of that is not to take any more money from taxpayers to fund “fun stuff” at the Legislature, no matter how one does it. You also put your own interests ahead of those of your supporters like Phil Krinkie, Jim Knoblach and Michele Bachman -- supporters whom you put in the bind of casting a fiscal or a pro-life vote when all three supported both issues. What is the difference between the governor’s statement of validation and that of Dean Johnson and exoneration?

From the GOP --

Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson, DFL-Willmar, said he is moving on after accusations of embellishing comments from Minnesota Supreme Court Justices on the gay marriage issue. Johnson was one of the speakers at Saturday’s Senate District 21 DFL fundraiser and convention at Jackpot Junction in Morton. Johnson spoke at the district convention. ‘The Minnesota Senate exonerated me and (the rest) is totally out of my hands,’ Johnson told the Independent about the situation.

Johnson wasn’t exonerated. The Ethics Committee found probable cause that he violated Senate rules; they just didn’t have the cojones to pursue the issue. Out of his hands? The Supreme Court is undergoing investigation because one man, Dean Johnson, knows who said what to whom and wouldn’t tell the truth about it.

Is there a difference?