Meritocracy

Just the way things work.

The state auditor’s office has confirmed that Richard Blum was the UC regent who wrote “an inappropriate letter of support” that helped admit a student to UC Berkeley that was among dozens of improper admissions identified in a scathing state audit released this week.

Blum, a financier and husband of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-San Francisco), told The Chronicle Thursday that he’s been writing such letters for years and “no one ever told me it was wrong.” He said he has contacted the chancellors at multiple UC campuses over the years.