Free Republic

A personal banker in Arlington, Va., is quitting his job after Chevy Chase Bank, one of the largest and best-known banks in the Washington, D.C., region announced it will begin accepting consular cards from customers who many suspect are illegal aliens. The bank announced its "Hispanic Banking Initiative" during a pilot program and is now accepting Matricula Consular de Alta Seguridads, or MCAS, at all of its branches so customers without U.S. government IDs may open accounts.

Capital One Financial Corp. said yesterday that it will acquire Bethesda-based Chevy Chase Bank for $520 million in cash and stock, expanding its presence in its own backyard. Privately held Chevy Chase Bank has a sizable presence in the Baltimore area, where it is the 14th-largest bank, according to the most recent figures from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. The bank has about $11 billion in deposits, with nearly 300 branches in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and the District of Columbia. Thirty-four branches are in the Baltimore area. Two years ago, the bank bought naming rights to the University of Maryland's...