OG12-79新问，时态问题

Kya

OG12/79
Defense attorneys have occasionally argued that their clients’ misconduct stemmed from a reaction to something ingested, but in attributing criminal or delinquent behavior to some foodallergy, the perpetrators are in effect told that they are not responsible for their actions.

(A) in attributing criminal or delinquent behavior to some food allergy,
(B) if criminal or delinquent behavior is attributed to an allergy to some food,
(C) in attributing behavior that is criminal or delinquent to an allergy to some food,
(D) if some food allergy is attributed as the cause of criminal or delinquent behavior,
(E) in attributing a food allergy as the cause of criminal or delinquent behavior,

答案没有问题，也能理解but if的语义，我的问题是，为什么非划线部分这里要用have argued呢？  but后面不是一般现在时么。。。。难道不应该用argue一般现在时，才可以避免时间断层么？

求助NN们解答