I think that is the point for most of her issues. Technically, this and technically that she isn't doing anything wrong. But she is fun to talk about.
Exactly. The issue is that every little technicality and half-truth adds up to one big scam. It's all about intent, and we have multiple examples of how Elle has exaggerated things to make money, get views, and sell things. These weren't honest mistakes, they were intentionally created by Elle to sow misinformation.
Elle knew full well that while she technically met the requirements of that Daily Hive post -- she was in Seattle, she is a small business, and she probably does get her stuff from small family-run factories in Nepal -- it was not appropriate. She had been in Seattle a month and had no roots in the community. Her items are sourced from overseas and take weeks to get to her. I'm positive the Daily Hive wanted to promote long-standing Seattle businesses that worked with other local, Pacific Northwest businesses. Not some random girl selling jewelry and scarves out of her suitcase.
Same with the "lawyer" thing. Yes, Elle was a lawyer and had met the legal regulatory requirements to call herself one. But we all knew she did not have the standard lawyer job, and she did nothing to clear that up. She actually did everything she could to perpetuate her high-powered female lawyer persona. That lead to subscribers, ad revenue, and affiliate link commissions, so she kept that scam going for years.