lightning rod

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++ˈlightning ˌrod noun [countable] American English  1. a lightning conductor 避雷器，避雷针2  someone or something who gets most of the criticism, blame, or public attention when there is a problem, although they may not be responsible for it 众矢之的；代人受过者，替罪羊be a lightning rod for something The senator has become a lightning rod for criticism. 该参议员成了众矢之的。

Examples from the Corpus

lightning rod• Since then, she has become a lightning rod for a national debate on immigration.• It was like a lightning rod that drew to itself all the negative impulses of a hyperactive time.• One of the summer associates in another firm told me that a partner there had proved a real lightning rod for trouble.

ˈlightning ˌrod nounChineseSyllable  

conductor a lightning Corpus

lightning rod
ˈlightning ˌrod noun [countable] American English
1. a lightning conductor
2. someone or something who gets most of the criticism, blame, or public attention when there is a problem, although they may not be responsible for it
    be a lightning rod for something
    The senator has become a lightning rod for criticism.

lightning rodBrE /ˈlaɪtnɪŋ rɒd/ 🔊NAmE /ˈlaɪtnɪŋ rɑːd/ 🔊 noun(NAmE) = lightning conductor (especially NAmE) a person or thing that attracts criticism, especially if the criticism is then not directed at sb/sth else 引火烧身的人（或事）