Confidentiality probably plays a more important social role in the relationship between defense attorney and defendant than between analyst and client. The former contributes to a system of justice that rarely convicts or punishes the innocent; the latter to more inquisitive and open public officials. Further, the public official's obligation to honesty arises from a public trust as well as private virtue so that public dishonesty, unjustified by other overriding values, lessens the force of confidentiality. Therefore, the analyst's ethical burden seems to go beyond refusal to participate actively in the misrepresentation of the analysis.
Before taking any action, however, the analyst should be certain that the misrepresentation is intentional. Usually this involves confronting the client privately. Upon hearing the analyst's concern, the client may voluntarily correct the misrepresentation through private communication with relevant political actors or other remedial action. The client might also convince the analyst that some other value. such as national security, justifies the misrepresentation. If the analyst becomes convinced, however, that the misrepresentation is both intentional and unjustified, then the next step (following the guidelines for whistle-blowing) should be to determine the amount of direct harm that will result if the misrepresentation is left unchallenged. If little direct harm is likely to result, then resignation alone may be ethically acceptable. If the direct harm appears substantial, then the analyst bears a responsibility
to inform the relevant political actors as well.