U.S. Probes Whether Blagojevich or Allies Influenced Admissions Process

Federal investigators have sent subpoenas to the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University and Northern Illinois University to try to determine whether ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich or his allies sought favors on behalf of applicants for admission, the Chicago Tribune reported. The inquiry is the latest escalation of a scandal involving the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which was revealed by the Tribune to have operated a special admissions system for politically connected applicants. The Tribune also has a new report out about some of the students admitted because of their clout.