Is there some kind of phrase or expression that describes to automatically blame assigned to the last person to touch a machine or system when it goes wrong?

I think this probably comes from a pre-century saying.

For example, my father used to place blame for a television's malfunction based on the last member of the family to turn it on and change channels. He always bought used stuff, and spent a lot of time smacking it upside when it could not tune in properly. (this comes from predigital technology). Of course, any teckie will tell you that smacking a TV indicates a bad solder joint in a cap or resistor. When it later turned out he was the last person to turn off the TV, why then he just tried to divert the blame to the other last person to touch it.

Another example:

Suppose that a programmer is asked to write a subroutine and it does not work in the main. The program worked before, but with the sub it crashes. The boss blames the writer of the sub, and refuses to entertain the notion that just perhaps there is another issue with their call. It becomes the fault of the sub writer.

I have seen it used politically when an outgoing administration unerringly blames the incoming one for any failures of the economy within a scant few months, but is quick to claim credit for any positive change thereafter.

In other examples, I have seen "shifting the blame", but would prefer something more idiomatic.

I am thinking there was a phrase from before the turn of the century, but if there is a more descriptive term from this century I will certainly consider it.

Is there some kind of phrase or expression that describes the blame assigned to the last person to touch a machine or system when it goes wrong?

I think this probably comes from a precentury saying.

For example, my father used to place blame for a television's malfunction based on the last member of the family to turn it on and change channels. He always bought used stuff, and spent a lot of time smacking it upside when it could not tune in properly. (this comes from predigital technology). Of course, any teckie will tell you that smacking a TV indicates a bad solder connection in a cap or resistor. When it later turned out he was the last person to turn off the TV, why then he just tried to divert the blame to the other last person to touch it.

Another example:

Suppose that a programmer is asked to write a subroutine and it does not work in the main. The program worked before, but with the sub it crashes. The boss blames the writer of the sub, and refuses to entertain the notion that just perhaps there is another issue with their call. It becomes the fault of the sub writer.

I have seen it used politically when an outgoing administration unerringly blames the incoming one for any failures of the economy within a scant few months, but is quick to claim credit for any positive change thereafter.

In other examples, I have seen "shifting the blame", but would prefer something more idiomatic.

I am thinking there was a phrase from before the turn of the century, but if there is a more descriptive term from this century I will certainly consider it.