Consider:

Politician “A” remarks that Politician “B” is member of a white supremacist group. (lie)

Baseball player “A” writes a book accusing baseball player “B” of using steroids. (lie)

A headline announces “Joe Doe Accused of Sexual Harassment” (lie)

First liar wins . . . each victim is now in a defensive posture.

It’s horrible, it’s sad, but it is absolutely true. 

Aggressively defending yourself usually exasperates the situation.  If you have the luxury of time, it is often best to let the mud settle before doing/saying anything.    Silence is golden.