NewYou can listen to Fox News articles now!
First on Fox: A nonpartisan government regulator filed a moral complaint against Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Tuesday morning.
The complaint by the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) requests the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability investigate Bowser for allegedly accepting illegal travel and hospitality gifts on high-profile trips to Doha, Qatar, for the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia, and trips to Dubai, Las Vegas, Miami and Mar-a-Lago.
Fact executive director Kendra Arnold first shared with Fox News.
The facts cite WJLA’s investigation of the lack of records in Bowser’s prominent travel, and they found that Katar paid Bowser and four staff members $61,930 to fly to the Middle East in 2023.
Schumer
Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser spoke at a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol on March 10, 2024. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
“It’s not just a trip to Qatar, but an unsettling pattern from Mar-A-Lago to Doha to Augusta National – the region has no record of who pays for these trips or the public purpose (if any) they serve,” Arnold said. “Ethical rules are to prevent corruption, and when corruption is ignored, the public trust is eroded. I urge the board to investigate and enforce the law.”
Sanctuary City Mayor Will Oversee in House of Representatives After AG Bondi Cuts It From Federal Funds
The facts said in the complaint that while the trip to the Middle East should be disclosed as a legal donation to the District of Columbia, there is no record of who paid for the trip.
“When questioned by the press, the mayor’s office said the trip was paid by the DC Chamber of Commerce. The conference hall said it was not true. Then, the mayor’s office said the trip was paid by the U.S. Mayor’s meeting. It was false as well.”
Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser spoke at a press conference on Capitol Hill, Washington on Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Then, in February 2025, the mayor’s office asked for a breakdown of the cost of the trip, labeled as a “in-kind donation” and sought a “retrospective donation agreement,” although two years have passed.
“However, it is incredible that until the reporter’s Freedom of Information Act requested by the Freedom of Information Act in March 2025 until publicly revealed, more specifically, Qatar paid more than $61,930 for the trip, and the mayor’s office is now trying to retroactively describe it as a “intrinsic donation.” The complaint says that as of May 2025, the region still has no record of Qatar paying for Bowser’s 2023 trip.”
The fact again quotes WJLA’s investigation report saying the District of Columbia has no record of multiple trips, including attending the Masters Golf Championships in Augusta, Georgia, and traveling to Las Vegas, Miami and Mary Lago.
Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser spoke at a press conference before the DC City Council’s April 3, 2024 fiscal year 2025 budget. (Craig Hudson for the Washington Post via Getty Images)
Facts accuse Bowser of violating the “basic moral principle,” which prevents corruption and prevents elected officials from accepting bribes and donations.
Under Washington, D.C. law, government officials cannot accept certain gifts, including travel, accommodation and transportation. If a government entity “uses gifts or donations to perform its authorized functions or duties”, then donations to the district itself are permitted.
Click here to get the Fox News app
In this case, detailed and accurate records must be used for “audit and public inspection”. Donations to the area must be recorded and approved before using the donation”.
“Obviously, Mayor Bowser’s trip to Qatar is qualified as a gift, while elected officials are banned in person. In addition, the gift is not eligible for donations to the area because donations are not recorded and approved before using them. There is no record of even recorded in the area.”
