I agree with you on pretty much everything you've pointed out. You are an expert at these SEC filings/proceedings. No doubt. And I think a lot of folks here don't quite understand how bad Nixon let it get.
But I think you are missing one key detail: COVID. In all of the other examples you've cited, there isn't one that directly applies to this situation and which is fully equivalent. Because if Nixon can somehow justify that the pandemic was the reason for lack of filings, then I see a way out for them. Won't be easy demonstrating it to the SEC, but I think it is within the realm of possibility.