Ycombinator insists that being part of their in-crowd does not warrant special treatment. It would have been more appropriate to find funding elsewhere.
No, it wouldn't. It's exceedingly common for companies to raise money from places that have invested in the founder before. What YC's policy is saying is that you do not get a bonus over a better qualified founder by being in the YC network. Again, the incentives for YC align with choosing the best investments. What does YC get by inappropriately giving someone money who doesn't deserve it? Nothing.
