Sen. Mark Kirk in Cuba visiting Guantanamo

WASHINGTON — Sen. Mark Kirk R-Ill. was in Cuba Friday with six other senators to visit the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay on a “fact-finding oversight trip.”

The facility was established after the 9-11 attacks. President Barack Obama promised to close the prison during his first campaign for the White House and could not deliver on the pledge. At present the facility has 148 prisoners.

Kirk is in the trip with his close friend, Sen. Joe Manchin D-W.Va., plus Sen. Angus King I-ME.; Susan Collins R-ME.; Sen. Brian Schatz D-HI.; Sen. Chris Coons D-DE and Sen. Joe Donnelly D-IN.

According to a release, “the senators will review detainee facilities and detention operations, the legal status of individual detainees, and the military commissions process that is used to try detainees. This trip is a fact-finding mission to ensure that the government is doing everything possible to protect the safety of Americans and make certain that precious tax dollars are appropriately expended.”

My column about Kirk seeking a second term in 2016 and how Rep. Tammy Duckworth D-Ill. is interested in running against him is HERE.