They will do it early so as to create that "seed of controversy" that will inform a fresh he-said/she-said media narrative. It will also cause all their lawyer surrogates to fight that much harder and to push past all ethical lines.
In other words, to create a frenzy of confusion, hoping that the ensuing chaos, combined with the public's inability to pay attention for more than 25 seconds at a time, will somehow put them on top, or give them some purchase in the courts.
Irrational to be sure, but predictable.
p.s. - "accordingtofoxnews.com" is available for registration according to Network Solutions, for the parody-minded among you...