1. A group of people decided that Sabatini is a Bad Person.

2. As a result, they want to end his career.

3. A billionaire came along and undermined those efforts, by providing Sabatini with independent funding.

4. The people who decided that Sabatini's career should be ended are upset by this.

Sure, nobody is being literally lynched; but the fundamental story -- people being upset that their ability to exercise extrajudicial punishment is being undermined -- is the same.