Greetings, fellow "shill". (maybe "calling shill" is more a QRV thing? - that greeting was sarcasm, for anyone unsure.)  But yes, I just commented much the same. Getting the more credulous members of your group to endorse a ludicrous claim taints the credibility of your entire group. It can be a very effective tactic, and the more tolerance in the group for fringe beliefs, the more effective it can be.