Why are we suddenly informed that the Justice Dept. has begun a "criminal investigation"?

Why are we suddenly informed that the Justice Dept. has begun a "criminal investigation" into the origins of the Russian probe?

This upgrade in the investigation's status occurred in the past but was not released to the public until yesterday. It has been known by the WH for some time. Why let us know now?

General Michael Horowitz's report on the origins of the Russian probe and the action of Justice Department officials has been completed and given to the F.B.I. to look for and redact sensitive information. So Attorney General has had this full, raw report for weeks.

On Fox & Fiends this a.m., Fred Henry suggested that the report is so bad that William Barr decided to make his own investigation "criminal" due to its findings. That might be so (though I strongly doubt it) but the timing seems to argue against that. Barr was given the full, raw report weeks ago. Why only yesterday did he let us know his investigation had reached the criminal stage?

DISTRACTION!!!

The IG report, which will come out in a manner of days, will find little or no wrong doing. Therefore Barr begins his "criminal investigation" to distract from that and the impeachment hearings, which have freaked out the WH.