Regulators often view independent auditors as “public watchdogs” over Corporate America (Levitt 1998, 5). However, according to Arthur Levitt, chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, “even these watchdogs need help in performing their vital role, and that responsibility belongs to the audit committee” (1998, 5). Birkett’s (1986) historical analysis suggests that audit committees were established primarily to safeguard the independence of the external auditor, and prior research suggests that audit committees strengthen the auditor’s position in disputes with management (e.g., Knapp 1987). More recently, Levitt (2000) has indicated that safeguarding the independence of the accounting profession has never been more important.