McConnell approves DeMint trip

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) will lead a delegation to Honduras on Friday after Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-Mass.) attempted to block his trip Thursday.

DeMint's office said in a release Friday morning that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) intervened to approve the trip late on Thursday. Kerry had blocked the trip in response to DeMint's hold on two Obama administration diplomatic nominees.

The two lawmakers have sparred over the political crisis in Honduras. Kerry and many Democrats back a U.S. government-endorsed negotiated settlement to restore President Manuel Zelaya to power. The Honduran military removed Zelaya from office in June after he attempted to change the constitution, in part to eliminate term limits.

DeMint and many Republicans stand behind de facto President Roberto Micheletti. Many Republican lawmakers argue that the left-leaning Zelaya was rightfully deposed as president.

The congressional delegation is traveling ahead of the country's Nov. 29 elections. The de facto government had hoped that the elections would put an end to the crisis, but the U.S. has said it will not recognize the results of the elections. Instead, the U.S. government prefers that Zelaya return to power under the settlement's terms: with limited powers until his term ends in December.

The Foreign Relations Committee member will travel with Republican Reps. Aaron Schock (Ill.), Peter Roskam (Ill.) and Doug Lamborn (Colo.). The four lawmakers are scheduled to meet with Micheletti, along with members of the Honduran Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court ordered the military to remove Zelaya after they ruled that his referendum to change the constitution was illegal.

UPDATED 10:45 A.M.

The minority leader's office confirmed that he approved the trip in his capacity as leader.

It remains unclear what government entity approved funding and transportation for the trip.