Whether or not he feels that testifying would be the right thing to do isn't about career impact.
Looking for advice about what testifying could do to his career image in the long-term from a crowd that likely has relevant experience is about career impact. Explicitly.
Yes, you've correctly comprehended the literal explicit question, that's all there is to it, isn't it?
Except it really isn't about the explicit literal question, it's about the unasked real question.
What happens when you don't know you don't know something, or when asking what would be unacceptable?
A proxy question is substituted, and you hope someone hears what you're really saying.
Also, from a literal sense, I'd say whether you feel the choice is authentic is actually all about career impact. You're choosing to make your career something which isn't you, or something which is. What is the impact on you, and subsequently on your career, for each choice?
Thanks for saying that you're right and that my answer isn't addressing the question. I invite you to create an answer that addresses the question you see, so we can learn from you! :)
Looking for advice about what testifying could do to his career image in the long-term from a crowd that likely has relevant experience is about career impact. Explicitly.