No Political Influence in SEC-Goldman Case-report

WASHINGTON - A federal watchdog has concluded that the Securities and Exchange Commission was not politically motivated to file fraud charges against Goldman Sachs, according to a report released by the agency on Wednesday.

The SEC filed civil charges against Goldman in mid-April when Democrats were trying to pass financial regulation legislation. Some Republican lawmakers questioned the timing of the probe and suggested that the SEC filed the lawsuit to influence the legislative debate.

But according to a report by SEC Inspector General David Kotz the SEC was not influenced by the financial reform bill.

(Reporting by Rachelle Younglai; Editing by Bernard Orr)