Interesting.
Scott Taylor of WJLA 7 discovered Qatar paid D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and four staff members $61,930 to visit the Middle East for a Climate Change Conference.
Why is it always Qatar? Why!?
Taylor reported that Bowser’s Director of Communications, Susana Castillo, claimed the D.C. Chamber of Commerce paid for the trip.
That is not true, according to an email Taylor received from the Chamber
Then Castillo said the U.S. Conference of Mayors footed the bill.
Nope. The Conference of Mayors directed Taylor to the mayor’s office.
Taylor’s investigation revealed that Bowser has not turned in any travel expense records.
Bowser never turned in records for her trips to the Master’s tournament, Las Vegas, Mar-a-Lago, Dubai, or Doha.
Taylor received his information after requesting documents via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA):
It shows the nation of Qatar paid more than $61,000 for Mayor Bowser’s trip to Doha in 2023, which included travel expenses for four staff members.Qatar called it an “in-kind donation”. The mayor and her team then jetted over to Dubai for the Climate Change convention.D.C. has no record of a donation agreement with Qatar, which is required by D.C. Code.Now comes this letter, from February, sent to officials in Qatar amid our investigation. In the letter, the mayor’s office asks for a breakdown of the mayor’s 2023 trip expenses and the total tab covered by the Middle Eastern country.Bowser’s office explains that such “donations” must be properly recorded, and a donation agreement will have to be executed.7News would like to know why the mayor’s office is asking to create a Donation Agreement in 2025 for a trip she took in 2023. A situation that directly violates Mayor Bowser’s memorandum on rules of conduct governing donations requires that each donation be submitted and approved by the Office of Partnerships and Grant Services before the city can enter into a Donation Agreement.
Yeah, why did Bowser submit this donation agreement in 2025 for a trip in 2023? Also, why did the deputy general counsel send the letters?
The report indicates that the office must submit all donations “for travel outside of the United States” and be approved by Lindsey Parker, Bowser’s chief of staff.
Parker joined Bowser on the Qatar trip. She submitted one receipt showing the trip “cost taxpayers $3,500 for a 3-night stay at the fabulous Atlantis-Palm hotel.”
Taylor wrote on X regarding the donation agreement not getting approval: “A situation that directly violates Mayor Bowser’s memorandum on rules of conduct governing donations requires that each donation be submitted and approved by the Office of Partnerships and Grant Services before the city can enter into a Donation Agreement.”
Parker and Castillo want Taylor to talk off the record. He said no.
Taylor asked Bowser’s office numerous questions:
Excellent questions. It is suspicious that the deputy general counsel sent the letters about the donation agreement. Does that mean an internal investigation has started?
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