[Iris7]

My reaction is that those fired likely had nothing to do with running the forgeries on CBS.

I bet it made perfectly clear to those now fired that, first, the story was going on the air, and "disloyalty" would be punished severely.

Second, after the affair blew up, they were told that the resulting mess is all their fault.

The really guilty parties are still there, but now determined never to run such dumb forgeries again. Never again obvious forgeries, only convincing ones.

[Oztrich Boy]

My reaction is that those fired likely had nothing to do with running the forgeries on CBS.

You do know who Mary Mapes is?

From the article

Mapes began reporting the story in 1999, but the report centered on documents obtained only weeks earlier, supposedly written by Bush's commander, the late Lt. Col. Jerry Killian.
...
They also said it was "inappropriate" for Mapes to have helped Burkett get in contact with Joe Lockhart, a political adviser to Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites), in the midst of the presidential campaign.

She spent 5 years seeking the Grail which would stop GWB becoming President. Didn't find in in 2000. Still hadn;t found it in 2004. The clock was ticking, she was desperate.