SIU: Blago Might Have Influenced Clout

Southern Illinois University says its review of whether former Gov. Rod Blagojevich or his allies tried to influence student admissions at the school turned up two possible cases.

The university says Blagojevich submitted letters of recommendation in 2005 for two applicants to the Carbondale campus law school , but neither applicant was accepted.

SIU says its review of applications to its other schools, including its campus in Edwardsville, from 2002 through last year turned up no other examples of Blagojevich trying to use political muscle to press admissions.

SIU's review was in response to a federal prosecutor's subpoena that followed Chicago Tribune stories reporting that the U of I admitted politically connected applicants over more qualified students.