Our investigations have shown that no party exerts as great an influence on the overall success of a pension that a consultant who provides sound asset allocation, manager selection and other advice.

FORBES: SEC Scrutiny of Pension Consultants: A Call To Action (February 28, 2004 )

Pension consultants: Pay-to-play schemes where the objectivity of the advice the consultant is providing regarding asset allocation, money manager selection and brokerage is corrupted as a result of secret compensation schemes.

FORBES: No One's Fulltime Job: Speech at Florida Atlantic University, School of Accounting (June 1, 2006 )

"With Mitt Romney losing ground to President Obama in the polls, I don't see the selection of Paul Ryan as 'risky, ' I see the choice as bold and necessary, " Republican consultant Ford O'Connell told CNN.

CNN: August 13, 2012 -- Updated 0242 GMT (1042 HKT)