Bank of America, in Today's News 10.16.09

Bank of America. Wow, does the cryptocracy ever have a thing against Bank of America Chief Executive Officer Kenneth D. Lewis. After months of harassment, they finally forced him to retire. Now yesterday the "pay czar" decided that Lewis must give back $1 million dollars in salary, plus forego the rest of his salary for 2009.

As the Wall Street Journal remarks today, "The move makes Mr. Lewis the biggest target so far of Kenneth Feinberg, the Treasury's 'special master' for compensation."

The public will probably never know the inside story behind this unprecedented effort to drive out and victimize the head of a prominent bank. But, it certainly would be a juicy story.

Incidentally, Lewis is probably regretting his decision to retire before the pay czar made his decision. Lewis now has no base that he could use to fight back.