Paulson and Bernanke told Ken Lewis to keep quiet

The WSJ is reporting that Ken Lewis was told by Secretary Paulson and Chairman Bernanke to keep quiet about the deteriorating state of Merrill Lynch in December, according to his testimony with the AG of New York.

Now maybe someone could ask Treasury Secretary Geithner, for clarification.

He would tell you, "I'm not a regulator" or "I'm not a banker" or "I'm not a lawyer" but "I would be happy to get back to you, after I think it over!"

Here's the testimony Ken Lewis gave:

Q: Were you instructed not to tell your shareholders what the transaction was going to be?

A: I was instructed that 'We do not want a public disclosure.'

Q: Who said that to you?

A: Paulson...

Q: Had it been up to you would you [have] made the disclosure?

A: It wasn't up to me.

Q: Had it been up to you.

A: It wasn't.