2020 Russian GP - Sochi

[Nitrodaze]

McLaren was also initially acquited before the FIA World Council in 2007 (not 2003, as you stated). The only reason this was turned into a conviction was because Ron Dennis came forward after Alonso tried to blackmail him.
Apparently, the FIA did not have such fortune this time around and therefore lacked conclusive evidence to go after Ferrari lock, stock and barrel.
Considering we still know very little of the exact nature of Ferrari's wrongdoing last year (other than that it had something to do with the fuel flow), I think your conclusion that it was as bad as spygate is somewhat ambitious. McLaren didn't just break the rules of F1, as Ferrari seem to have done last year, but actively stole the intellectual property of a competitor, which is not just an infringement of F1 rules, but a criminal offense in most countries.

However, I agree with you that it would have been better to appoint someone without strong Ferrari ties to head F1.

Same difference, they both cheated and circumvented the rules. How Ferrari's designs documents ended up in Mclaren was not orchestrated by the team par se. it got into the team via an unscrupulous staff without the teams initial knowledge. So it is strong language to say they stole. The fact of the matter is we know the fine details of that event. We cannot say the same for the Ferrari engine infraction. So, in a sense, you cannot argue the difference between both cases cited.

Different FIA Presidents, different transparency. You have to also take note that it was an English FIA president and an English F1 team involved in Ferrari-gate. As oppose to an ex-Ferrari team boss FIA president and the Ferrari team in the Ferrari-engine-gate event. As my dear American friends would say; GO FIGURE!