A year or two ago I considered Sawyer's tactics highly ethically challenged, and possibly a psyop used to slander and silence inconvenient truth tellers. While I try not to stand in judgement of another's personal beliefs, I must take into account averral or practice of ethically challenged operations, and Sawyer tickled my spidey sense.

While there are plausible alternatives to the scenario you opine here, I reckon it's the most likely and reasonable.

Thanks!