I agree with the motivation you suggest. The reason it's dumb is that it will fail. See this post by [Odell](https://www.discreetlog.com/banking-crisis/?ref=odell-newsletter)

siggy47

This isn't dumb, the concerted efforts (by the NY times and co) to smear mining, and now this, is a concerted effort to stop bitcoin adoption in the us.  This isn't a move from a senile man, this is a move likely backed and funded by banking and other interests