I really don't know the situation but I assume both sides of smear campaign seesaw appeal the authority ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯ that's usually the case anyway.

I was just pointing out that

'Every effective smear campaign takes a grain of truth, then coats it in layers of innuendo'

Seems to also apply to the same article that makes this statement.(?)