Since leaving the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2004, I’ve done my share of critiquing SEC enforcement policy. So it’s only fair, nearly two years into the tenure of current SEC leadership, to give credit where it’s due.
And as it happens, plenty of credit is due in at least six areas of SEC enforcement policy:
Better Accountability
About ten years ago, the SEC departed from historical practice by delegating to senior enforcement staff the commissioners’ legal responsibility for launching formal investigations and unleashing the power to issue subpoenas. Some of us publicly expressed concerns at the time about this dilution of political accountability, given the severe reputational harm and financial expense that can result from investigations, even if no wrongdoing is ever uncovered. Continue reading