GOP question the timing of Goldman take down

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) sent a letter to SEC Chairwoman Mary Schapiro asking if Friday's filing of fraud charges against Goldman Sachs for misleading investors was timed to coincide with Democratic efforts to reform the financial industry. 

"The events of the past 5 days have fueled legitimate suspicion on the part of the American people that the Commission has attempted to assist the White House, the Democratic Party and Congressional Democrats by timing the suit to coincide with the Senate's consideration of financial regulatory legislation," Issa wrote. "The American people have a right to know whether the Commission, or any of its officers or employees, may have violated federal law by using the resources of an independent regulatory agency to promote a partisan political agenda." 

The congressman is the ranking Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and asked Schapiro to respond to several questions about whether the Commission communicated its plan for Goldman to Democrats before filing charges. 

Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), Dan Burton (R-Ind.), Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Mo.), Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) and , Anh Cao (R-La) joined Issa in signing the letter.