SEC Watchdog to Investigate Timing of Goldman Suit

The Securities and Exchange Commission's internal watchdog said Friday he is heeding Republican calls to investigate the timing of the charges against Goldman Sachs.

SEC Inspector General David Kotz said he needs to understand what led to the SEC's decision to announce the case when it did and "see if there was any undue influence involved."

He is responding to a letter from Republican members on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform that suggests SEC employees might have leaked information to influence debate in Congress on financial regulation.

The lawmakers question the timing of disclosures about the agency's actions and suggest officials may have disclosed their plans before they became public.

Kotz spoke on Fox News on Friday.