If he didn’t already know how devious, diabolical, deceitful they are is he qualified to report and analyze them?
For many years my specialty was making IBM Mainframes and their DB2 Database run fast without purchasing more expensive IBM hardware. This entailed going into the programs and code of others and pointing out how it could be better designed, better coded.
In IT jargon it was my job to call their baby ugly. I fully expected that at some point someone would get me fired. When it happens, I am not blindsided. I know it is coming. It is my job to expect it.
I see other consultants with the same role. At Discover Card a long line of employees and consultants gave good advice and were fired because one powerful Business Analyst and one manager didn’t like their advice. I lucked out and came in just after that manager was fired. I made exactly the same recommendations my predecessors had made. This time they were accepted.
You can’t get blindsided if you are competent in your job. Coming with competency is the knowledge that some people can not handle the truth and will get you canned.