I think it is worth comparing it to an initially very similar situation: Jordan Patterson. He too is a former professor with questionable views who got controversial to a larger public over his arguing semantics.

But where the story begins to differ is that Jordan Patterson doubled down, used his new found fame to spread his harmful world view and even massivly profitted financially from it.

RMS on the other hand stepped down from all public functions and largly kept to himself probably feeling miserable and misunderstood.

He could have very well took his not insignificant support base and created an alternative "real" FSF for his personal benefit, but he didn't even try.