They want to dissuade investment in these companie

They want to dissuade investment in these companies. And since almost all of them are not listed stocks (i.e., not on NYSE, American, or Nasdaq), it's not hard to convince crooked OTC market makers to join them in having some profitable fun in slamming a threat to the established order  The establishment hate interlopers. Look at the two established political parties who sham at being at odds but are really one team who feast and drink together -- both in it for the money. They both hate third parties. Look also at Coke and Pepsi who pretend to be competitors but who share board members and never run a sale on their respective products at the same time.