Recall the furor over Wal-Mart's plans to open an "industrial" bank in Utah. The opposition formed fast and furious. The issue is about to heat up again. A politician in Ohio is set to release information that he argues indicates that Wal-Mart has much more ambitious designs on consumer banking. He argues that an email from a Wal-Mart employee to tenants, including a few banks, suggests that the company may be considering becoming a full-service institution. That possibility has ignited a lot of passions. The information came to light as the House Financial Services Committee prepares for hearings next week on a law that would bar non-financial companies from operating banking units. We'll see what happens.

For more:
- here's an article from the New York Times
- More on Wal-Mart's banking moves. Article