"This is just a repeated example of why outside oversight has a valid purpose," Ms. Lebow said.

Theodore Stern, the Westinghouse official in charge of contracts with the Energy Department, said he did not oppose outside oversight.

Merrill cut its own deal, firing bankers and agreeing to the outside oversight of its structured-finance transactions.

Analysts say the company has little room to maneuver when it comes to opposing outside oversight.

A Federal appeals court yesterday upheld a lower court decision to end outside oversight of New York City's jails.

But while the report called for strengthening the authorities from within, it did not call for additional outside oversight of the authorities, something that Democrats want.

On April 7, his committee forwarded new rules for contracts to the state legislature that would install more outside oversight to the selection process.

The Diocese of Pittsburgh said its request for outside oversight did not constitute a complete break with the church.

Civil rights leaders in New Jersey were relieved that the Justice Department insisted on outside oversight.

I was not comforted when the city decided last week to let the police department and prosecutors' office continue their investigations with no outside oversight.