Federal prosecutors in Washington are conducting a corruption investigation into Mayor Muriel E. Bowser, examining a foreign trip she took with staff that was paid for by Qatar, according to people familiar with the inquiry, The New York Times reports.
The investigation is being overseen by the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington and has been underway for months.
Bowser, who has served as Washington’s mayor since 2015 and is a Democrat, has not been formally notified of the investigation.
Her office said in a written statement that “this was a business trip” and that “all proper paperwork for this standard donation is on file.”
The Times noted that the case may involve potential violations of bribery or campaign-finance laws.
Questions remain about whether Bowser’s office performed any specific official act for the Qatari government — a key element for any bribery charge — and whether any campaign-finance misstatements were intentional rather than accidental.
The inquiry reportedly began after local TV station WJLA revealed that a 2023 trip to Dubai by the mayor and four staffers was paid for at least in part by outside groups.
The mayor’s office initially said the trip was funded by the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, then claimed it was covered by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, but later disclosures showed that the conference paid only a portion.
After that report, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust filed an ethics complaint.
The nonprofit was once led by Matthew G. Whitaker, who served as acting attorney general during President Donald Trump’s first term and now serves as U.S. ambassador to NATO.
Bowser publicly opposed him during the 2020 protests, denouncing his rhetoric and calling him “a scared man,” according to Time magazine.
To some Trump critics, this investigation could look like another pursuit of a figure who once stood up to him.
The Times noted that the Justice Department’s public-corruption unit has been weakened by dismissals linked to Trump’s efforts to target perceived enemies, which may fuel some administration critics’ suspicion that political motives overlap with legal action.
Investigations or reviews have also been opened against several prominent Trump critics, including former FBI Director James Comey, former CIA Director John Brennan, and former national security adviser John Bolton, deepening concerns about selective targeting.
Trump and his administration have declared these probes justified efforts against wrongdoers who have abused their authority.
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