What is so special about the status of banks that they feel they deserve special protection from big, bad Wal-Mart? I mean, c'mon? Where were the banks when Wal-Mart was driving the local shoe stores out of business, or the auto parts store, or the optical shops? Or the local, small grocery stores? I never heard banks complaining then, did you? It's a competitive world, banks. You should accept that fact. U.S. Rep Questions Wal - Mart Banking Plans: NYT By REUTERS Published: March 15, 2007 Filed at 1:30 a.m. ET Skip to next paragraph Reuters NEW YORK (Reuters) - An Ohio representative is planning to release information on Thursday that suggests Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s (WMT.N) ambitions into consumer banking may extend beyond what the retail giant had previously disclosed, The New York Times reported. The information, in the form of an e-mail message sent by a Wal-Mart employee, suggested that the company was laying the groundwork to offer its own banking products, the Times said. Wal-Mart has long insisted that it was not interested in branch banking but was looking to use the bank as a way to save money. But Rep. Paul E. Gillmor, R-OH, said he was concerned that the undated e-mail message suggested that Wal-Mart was telling its tenants, some of which are retail banks, that it was reserving the right to become a full-service bank, including the underwriting of mortgages, the Times reported. ``There is nothing new here,'' the spokeswoman, Mona Williams, said in the Times. ``While we recently updated language in our leases, similar language has been in our agreements for at least five years.'' No other comment was immediately available from the retailer.