Good catch.
I'd agree that the as/has construction is not very solid in terms of causation or just correlation. However, we need to find an answer to which the statements conform. That means that the statements lend support to it. There's no contradiction or scope shifts between the statements and (C), though there is, as you have pointed out, wiggle room.
And the LSAT has saved itself from any serious criticism by asking which most closely conforms, and every other answer has more significant flaws.
There's a discussion of the wrong answers
here.
[Edit for clarity]