Washington, D.C. — Three anti-war Democratic members of the House of Representatives visited Iraq in October 2002 prior to the U.S. invasion. Federal prosecutors say the trip was arranged by Muthanna Al-Hanooti of Michigan. Al-Hanooti is alleged to have cut a deal with Iraqi intelligence officials to finance the trip. For his efforts, the Iraqi’s supposedly paid Al-Hanooti 2 million barrels of oil.
Although not named in the Justice Department indictment, the three Congressman who went on the October 2002 trip were Jim McDermott of Washington, David Bonior of Michigan and Mike Thompson of California. All three argued for a diplomatic solution instead of war. The State Department has no information that any of the Congressman knew that their trip was paid for by Saddam Hussein.
McDermott and Thompson both deny knowing what was going on. Bonior is now retired.
At the time, Oklahoma Senator Don Nickles said they, “sound somewhat like spokespersons for the Iraqi government.”
