I’ve definitely seen most of this going on in management teams. Especially the forming of committees as a way of bike shedding. ‘We are clueless about the problem but we do know how to make a list of other clueless people.’
To paraphrase: "Don't attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by covering one's ass".
I have never formally formed a committee, but I often organized small one-off or semiregular circles to get differing opinions on some matter and/or to understand how to align interests. And I believe it paid off for me, usually in form of a better design or a useful shortcut around an otherwise long and dark path.