Authoritative Duke

When the media or other gatekeepers of acceptable discourse want to discredit an idea or an individual, without themselves making any negative or critical comments directly, they find a morally detestable character to endorse the person or idea, thus manufacturing guilt by association with a person they would otherwise never consult, or give credence to their opinion. That poisonous proxy is known as an "Authoritative Duke", after David Duke, a man who would never be part of a mainstream political discussion except to be a tool to ritually contaminate an enemy of the media. David Duke, being quite powerless on his own, is a willing participant in the charade, because it conveys a false sense of authority on him whereas otherwise he is an untouchable.