Critic: "Works of Historical Research Published by Mainstream Publishers Are

Multiple Choice

Critic: "Works of historical research published by mainstream publishers are less likely to be cited by other academics than those published by the academic press. Clearly, it appears that academics are strongly prejudiced against mainstream works, and judge historical works in the mainstream press as having no academic merit."
The critic's argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it

A) Argues against a counterargument that does not exist.
B) Relies on an ad hominem attack to discredit mainstream publishers.
C) Fails to consider the possibility that mainstream historical publications have less academic merit than others.
D) Fails to consider the possibility that mainstream publishers are prejudiced against serious academics.
E) Uses circular logic to arrive at its conclusion.