Overview
- National outlets report the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington has been examining the trip for months, and no charges have been announced.
- WJLA’s earlier reporting found Qatar covered about $61,930 in flights for Bowser and four staff in 2023 for travel that included Doha and Dubai.
- Initial explanations from the mayor’s office named the D.C. Chamber of Commerce and later the U.S. Conference of Mayors as funders before records showed Qatari support and gaps in required donation agreements.
- Bowser’s office says the travel was official business, asserts that proper paperwork is now on file, and says the District has not been notified of any investigation.
- Coverage notes internal Justice Department upheaval, including the firing of an FBI agent who had worked on the case, and an ethics complaint was filed by the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust.