His co-chairing in 2004 of an independent task force on Iran, which recommended engagement rather than confrontation, has tipped his hand on a key issue.

ECONOMIST: Defence

As an independent task force, our role was to recommend changes to national and international tax rules to take better account of value creation by digital firms.

FORBES: Corporate Tax 2.0: Why France and the World Need a New Tax System for the Digital Age

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel of nongovernment clinicians who provide evidence-based practice guidelines, recommends against screening men over age 75 for prostate cancer.

CNN: Doctors and patients should talk more, test less

The cases were brought by the U.S. Department of Justice's Campaign Financing Task Force and one-time Independent Counsel Ken Starr.

CNN: Burton turns attention toward federal judge in campaign finance probe

As you know, in October 1997, the NASA Administrator chartered the Cost Assessment and Validation (CAV) Task Force, chaired by Jay Chabrow, to perform an independent review of the Space Station program.

WHITEHOUSE: Jacob J. Lew Testimony to House Science Committee, 08/06/1998 | The White House

Burton wants a 100-page report from Charles LaBella, the outgoing head of the Justice Department campaign finance task force, and a memo from FBI Director Louis Freeh, which say there should be an independent counsel campaign finance investigation.

CNN: Burton Subpoenas Internal Justice Memos