While I still think Pale is a failure, I believe that mostly for points and elaP related reasons, and not this particular set of actions.
BNM, you broke the rules. Clearly. And it was obvious you knew you were breaking the rules in both cases, and someone warned you in the first case, outside of moderatorship, but you still pressed it. The warnings were fair.
As in the second case, it likely works like this: Mods can't be warned. Cannot. The system doesn't support that. So it was either warn everyone but the mods that were involved in what they posted, or warn no one involved. It was a separate incident, and he still closed the thread, too, so it's not like he left his stinkin' paws out of there, either.
Also, who marches with a tuba? Where's the euphonium girl?