It can, because each flag will be weighted equally across the board, so their numerous efforts at self voting can be marginalized or nullified by just a few flags. The more they get flagged in one aspect, self voting probably being considered abuse, each successive flag in that category will be weighed heavier and heavier making it that much more effective.

And they will require a lot of high reputation accounts to maintain and try to nullify flags by counter flagging, with each flag one counter flag is required, in the end there is more of us then them, so it's not a viable solution, lest trying to counterflag and effect the flaggers reputations, as they will need 2 times the counter flags for flags to effect such action.