A nonpartisan watchdog group, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), has filed an ethics complaint against Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, alleging that her office failed to disclose travel expenses for high-profile trips to Qatar, Dubai, Las Vegas, Miami, and the Augusta National Golf Tournament. The complaint, shared with Fox News Digital, claims that these trips were funded by undisclosed sources, including a $61,930 payment from Qatar for the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference. FACT asserts that the mayor’s office did not provide public information about who paid for these trips or their public purpose, violating D.C. ethics laws.
In its complaint, FACT highlights the lack of transparency, citing WJLA’s investigation into missing records from Bowser’s trips. The complaint also notes that despite a Freedom of Information Act request, the District still lacks a record of Qatar’s payment for Bowser’s 2023 trip. The watchdog group urges the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability to investigate and enforce the law without delay. The complaint argues that the mayor’s refusal to disclose information about these trips represents a pattern of unethical behavior, with trips to Mar-A-Lago, Dubai, Las Vegas, Miami, and Augusta National Golf Tournament all lacking proper records of funding and purpose.
Under Washington, D.C., law, government officials cannot accept certain gifts, including trips, lodging, and transportation. The law allows donations to the district itself if the government entity