Even if they were not enough of a threat to shake the foundation of the five great families, they could still cause some damage in various ways.
There was more than one way to weaken an enemy, and straightforward tactics were not what most would use when facing a powerful enemy.
Sometimes, it was far more beneficial to make use of others who shared similar ambitions and ideals in ways that could make the enemy suffer damage or to have them disrupted slightly without taking on the risk themselves.
If someone else took on the risk and took the blame, it was possible to shift the blame or to deny involvement in a way that would not make the Lincoln family responsible for any of it.
They could just deny their involvement and say that others were just acting on their own.
The five great families may have possessed a great deal of power, but there were always limits to how much they could do at times.
