A coalition statement and an inaccurate statistic

An association belongs to a coalition working on a policy issue relevant to its members. The coalition circulates a draft public statement containing a statistic that staff cannot verify and a proposed position broader than the association’s approved agenda. Several members have different interests in the issue, and a chapter has already posted its own interpretation. The coalition asks for an immediate public endorsement because a comment deadline is approaching. The association’s agreements define its contribution but do not clearly say that it accepts every later position. Leadership can obtain the evidence and consult the authorized decision-makers before responding. The draft has not yet been approved for publication under the association’s process.