This is feeling like an argument in bad faith.

Yes, from him. If he want to discredit Hersh, he should provide an argument against Hersh. Instead he wrote anecdote of how completely unrelated person got "corrupted" and on a basis of that single anecdote he probably wanted to prove everyone can be "corruptible", so Hersh too.

I hope you can see how that are not one but two galaxy wide leaps. From specific person to generalisation for entire humanity, to another specific and unrelated person. I could as well "prove" that since some guy i know in Poland started doing drugs and alcohol, it's a proof that you personally did the same.