Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser is currently under federal scrutiny for a trip to Qatar, which was reportedly funded by the Gulf nation.
Sources familiar with the investigation informed the New York Times that the probe centers on potential bribery or violations of campaign finance laws. The US Attorneys Office in Washington has been handling the investigation for several months. In response, Bowsers office issued a statement asserting, "This was a business trip. DC representatives regularly travel to promote Washington as a destination for investment and growth."
The statement further emphasized that such efforts have successfully attracted business to the city, adding, "All proper paperwork for this standard donation is on file."
According to The Post Millennial, the investigation was prompted by a local news report from April 2025, which highlighted Bowser and four staff members' 2023 trip to Dubai for a United Nations conference. Initially, the mayors office claimed the DC Chamber of Commerce had funded the trip, but later revised this to state that the U.S. Conference of Mayors had covered the expenses.
However, it was later disclosed that the mayors group only financed a portion of the trip.
The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust has since lodged an ethics complaint, revealing that Qatari officials had sent a letter in March to Bowsers office, indicating that Qatar had paid over $61,000 for the mayor and her staff to visit Doha prior to the UN conference. This development raises questions about the transparency and legality of the funding sources for the trip.
As the investigation unfolds, the implications for Bowser and her administration remain uncertain, with potential repercussions for her political career and the governance of Washington, DC.
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