Republicans: Do you have a problem with revenge firings for personal reasons?

Now that it has come out that Gov. Palin likely had the head of the state troopers fired for not firing her brother-in-law, I am reminded of Cheney ordering the outing of Valerie Plame and the firing of states' attorneys by Alberto Gonzales. This is not a partisan question; I have a problem when either party does this, but it seems that many Republicans defend the practice, choosing to discredit the messenger instead of defending the message.