Are we arguing about a narrative? Isn't the real question here is whether Joe personally benefitted from these events?
I was speaking to a neighbor the other day, and his argument is that Joe didn't benefit personally and that perhaps many family members did benefit, but Joe didn't, personally. My response was really? All of Joe's kids benefitted, his grandkids benefitted, and that's OK because Joe himself didn't? Yeah, no benefit to Joe.
If Joe peddled influence that benefitted him and/or his family, it's a problem.