[betterunix2]

Different role, different scope, different situation. The SEC has limited power to target individuals compared to a credit rating agency. It would be a scandal to politicize the SEC, but it would not be the sort of nightmare that a politicized credit rating agency could become.

It is also worth pointing out that both the credit ratings and audits of publicly traded corporations are conducted by private-sector companies, not government agencies. The SEC's primary role is to ensure that the rules are being followed, which is a straightforward law-enforcement/regulatory role that makes sense for a government agency.