Frequent Flier Edgar at Parley In Puerto Rico

SPRINGFIELD Gov. Edgar and his wife, Brenda, arrived Friday at aconference in Puerto Rico, capping two months of travels to Europe,Florida and New Hampshire.

The Edgars are attending a five-day Council of State Governmentsconference in San Juan. Their expenses are being paid by a mix ofstate and Edgar campaign funds, aides said.

Since early October, Edgar's travels have included a two-weekEuropean trade mission, a Republican governors conference in NewHampshire and a brief stop in Florida to campaign on behalf of GOPpresidential hopeful Bob Dole. Edgar is Dole's Illinois campaignchairman.

"There has been a confluence of events and missions that havehad him out," Edgar spokesman Mike Lawrence said. "It may seem likehe's traveled a lot, but he's been in Illinois a lot, too."

On the latest trip, Puerto Rican business leaders from Illinoisaccompanied Edgar. One aim of the trip is to "strengthen businessties" between Illinois and Puerto Rico, Lawrence said.

Edgar, a former council president, will accept an award for aPublic Aid program and deliver a keynote speech on how improvedworldwide communications affect state government, Lawrence said.

"It's really hard to get governors to come to these meetings,"council spokeswoman Elaine Stuart said. "But Gov. Edgar has beenactive in our group ever since he was secretary of state."

Four Democratic and three Republican lawmakers from Illinoisalso are at the conference, she said.

In Edgar's other travels since October, campaign funds andbusiness groups have paid his expenses.

The Florida trip was paid for by Dole campaign funds. The NewHampshire leg of that trip was paid for by Edgar's campaign funds.And the Edgars' excursion to Europe in early October was paid for bycampaign funds and the Executive Club, a consortium of leadingChicago business officials.