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The Justice Department is now looking into whether D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser committed corruption during her 2023 trip to Dubai after a series of investigations by the 7News I-Team, according to reporting from The New York Times. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and four staff members took a trip to the Middle East in 2023 for a United Nations conference, but the mayor did not file travel expense records. Documents obtained by 7News I-Team reporter Scott Taylor found the nation of Qatar paid just over $61,000 for the trip. The District and its lawyers have not been notified of any formal investigation, and reiterated in a statement Thursday that it was a regular business trip. "This was a business trip; D.C. representatives regularly travel to promote Washington as a destination for investment and growth." a statement from Mayor Bowser's Office said. "This regular work has helped bring investment, infrastructure, new business, new grocery stores, growth, and jobs to the District. In some cases, economic development funds are used for the business travel; in other cases, the host or organizer cover the expenses. All proper paperwork for this standard donation is on file.” Sources familiar with the DOJ's investigation told NYT they are investigating for any possible violations of bribery or campaign finance laws, but it's not clear yet if D.C. did anything in return for the Qatari payments. Mayor Bowser, who has made occasional trips across the country and the world for business, previously called it a mistake that the paperwork hadn't been filed. She also said the past claims that the funding had come from the D.C. Chamber of Commerce were due to a misunderstanding. A group called the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) filed an ethics complaint with D.C.'s Ethics Board in June over the Qatari trip and several other business trips. This is not the only time this year a politician's dealings with Qatari officials have received scrutiny. President Trump, in May, accepted a roughly $200 million Boeing 747 jet from the country in hopes of converting it into Air Force One. Bowser was criticized earlier this year by the Trump administration for what federal officials saw as a crime issue, despite data showing an overall decrease compared to 2023 and 2024, leading to a surge of federal agents and National Guard members. She ultimately cooperated with the administration despite her own criticisms of the surge.
