Hardworking students without clout are left out in Illinois

John Kass reports:

According to a Tribune story this week, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Lisa's Daddy, applied his clout to help dozens of political allies and campaign donors trying to get their relatives into the University of Illinois.

Many of the relatives who were accepted wouldn't have made it into the U. of I. on their own merits, the story said.

Three of the students backed by Madigan are relatives of North Shore attorney Steven Yonover and Illinois Appellate Judge Margaret Frossard. Yonover dropped more than $70,000 into campaign funds controlled by Mike Madigan.

Wouldn't the lawyer and the distinguished appellate judge make fine lecturers at a university-sponsored seminar titled "Ethics in Illinois"?

You'll want to read the whole article.