guilt by association

1. The attribution of guilt to individuals because of the people or organizations with which they associate, rather than because of any crime that they have committed.

Example Sentences

Morris, who is Black, called claims of racism preposterous and said it was a campaign of guilt by association.

From Salon

“His critics continue to engage in guilt by association for comments that were not his,” De León’s attorney said in a lawsuit targeting two people whom De León suspected of making the recording.

From Los Angeles Times

This allowed the researchers to group genes into common clusters that revealed the role of each gene through "guilt by association."

From Science Daily

Osborne’s lawyers accused prosecutors of engaging in “guilt by association” to argue that he, like the Pollocks and Hutchinson, is a flight risk.

From Seattle Times

The ban, some argued, was akin to “Marxist” and “leftist” tactics, and would create guilt by association that could be problematic for the party, its leaders and candidates.

From Salon