Last week we told you about the Washington State Ferries’ decision to pull issues of Seattle Weekly because of its “distasteful” meat-suit cover of U.S. Senator Patty Murray.

This week, the state’s Department of Transportation admitted that, “We probably shouldn’t have pulled it.”

The Weekly had questioned whether the decision had anything to do with the fact that Murray had directed $7 million of federal, ahem, pork towards the state ferry system, an assertion the ferries adamantly denied:

Coursey insists WSF had no political agenda. The ferry system’s onboard advertising racks do not allow certain material, including tobacco or alcohol ads, and Coursey said the Weekly was allowed in terminal buildings.

“The core issue in this case was our contract for the advertising space and what it spells out as grounds for turning down advertising materials. But if and when a gray area like this comes up again, we will certainly review it against First Amendment principles,” she said Thursday.

The ferry system will be reimbursing the $175 that Seattle Weekly pays to stock their kiosks.