1. The question
Inviting outside evaluation does not by itself establish independence. The essay asks who controls appointments, funding, access to evidence, publication, and replacement.
2. The argument
Start with the distinction between being allowed to object and being able to change an outcome. Then follow the control relationships of the verifier, including who can dismiss an inconvenient reviewer or withhold evidence.
3. Precedents to examine
The manuscript examines public-company audit oversight, clinical-trial data monitoring committees, and bank examination. These are different arrangements to compare, not a claim that one model transfers unchanged to every domain.
4. The strongest objection
Verification creates power too. A reviewer may be captured, become an obstacle, or gain an indefinite veto. Independence must be weighed alongside competence, cost, accountability, and the ability to replace the reviewer.
5. What the essay must establish
Specify proportionate safeguards for each kind of power. Test whether the review actually changes access to evidence and remedies, and whether the verifier can itself face a bounded challenge. The full manuscript remains reserved for external submission.