Burris joins two other senators on Iraq trip

By Admin on November 23, 2009

WASHINGTON — Sen. Roland Burris, an Illinois Democrat, left Saturday for a trip to Iraq to examine security and political developments in the region, an aide said Sunday. He is to return before Thanksgiving.

Burris, 72, sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee. He was traveling with two other Democratic senators, Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, both of Oregon. Tom Udall of New Mexico and Michael Bennet of Colorado originally had been scheduled for the trip, but after Burris’ office released the names of the fellow travelers, spokeswomen for Udall’s and Bennet’s office said they did not go.

Burris is to speak today to reporters in a conference call from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

The delegation planned to meet with soldiers, foreign leaders and security officials, said Burris aide Audrey Till.

Burris, appointed to the seat by Rod Blagojevich, the state’s disgraced governor, was rebuked Friday by the Senate Ethics Committee for providing “incorrect, inconsistent, misleading or incomplete information” to those conducting inquiries about the appointment. He was given a public letter of qualified admonition and later said he had been cleared of any legal wrong-doing.

– Katherine Skiba

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