I think it was a rogue dem group, like Harris, Booker, etc., who got tired of the dem leadership timing. The dems looked like they scrambling and Ford was seemingly caught off guard by the publication to me.
The Ford stuff was probably in the chute for years and that rogue group decided to use it. The infighting may lead to some dems voting for Kav so they look like they were clear of it, and it could be they were. The Kav voters want to make sure they're in a chair when the music stops so the rogues take the brunt of the hit when the truth comes out.
JMO