Notwithstanding these limitations, our results add to the growing body of literature that documents the importance of various corporate governance mechanisms in the financial reporting process (e.g., Beasley 1996). Our evidence supports regulators’ concern that the audit committee should consist entirely of independent, outside directors. Our results also add to the literature that documents adverse effects of certain client characteristics on auditor reporting behavior. Specifically, our results suggest that auditors are less likely to modify the reports of distressed companies that have a greater percentage of affiliated directors on their audit committees