I must say that I do like that the best you can do in attempt to invalidate my opinion is a set of quotes from August of 2023.
You were a hypocrite who is not to give moral lessons in August 2023, and you are still a hypocrite now, because nothing has happened since then to think that you have stopped being a hypocrite, on the contrary.
I am of the same opinion that there should be a clear distinction between the business role (bounty manager) and the merit-source (volunteer activity) to avoid conflicts of interest.
A campaign manager and a merit source are an inherent conflict of interest.
This is interesting and I agree in principle if we add the word potentially: A campaign manager and a merit source are potentially a conflict of interest. Maybe if I were theymos I would think about not giving merit source status to any campaign manager for this very reason. Now, if this is not the case, as Hhampuz says the merit records sent are public and if there was a misuse some people would immediately complain about it in the Reputation section.
In fact, to me the strongest proof that icopress will not misuse merits if given merit source status is that he earns merits at 5 times his activity and does not misuse them now.