Me thinks they protest too much.
Yup. Their instant reply of certain non-connection means to me that they are fully aware of a connection. It takes time, patience and prudence to establish a non-connection. But if you already know there’s a connection, and want to deny it immediately, and don’t have to worry about how obvious it makes the motive of your denial because your followers all lick your boots... then you don’t have anything to worry about. Just deny it. The bootlicking media will amplify your denials into large-as-truth.