DC Mayor Bowser not under investigation by DOJ: Pirro

WASHINGTON - The Department of Justice is not investigating D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in connection with a trip to Dubai two years ago, the U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed to FOX 5 on Friday. 

What we know:

The New York Times first reported that the DOJ had opened an investigation into Bowser for corruption after she traveled to Dubai for a conference on infrastructure, sports and education on Nov. 25, 2023.

Earlier this year, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust filed an ethics complaint accusing the mayor's office of not accurately disclosing who paid for the trip. 

Qatar reportedly spent more than $60,000 to fund the trip for Bowser and her staff. 

The Office of the Mayor responded to FOX 5’s inquiry, saying that following the trip, the District became aware of a staff error, which led to a lack of a standard donation agreement for travel expenses. 

They say the paperwork was then correctly submitted, and the donations were both included in Serve DC’s publicly-available report.

Dig deeper:

On Friday, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro told FOX 5 that ""Mayor Bowser is not under investigation, nor is she the target of any investigation."

Bowser's office released a statement, saying: 

"We have checked with our lawyers, and the District has not been notified of any investigation. This was a business trip; DC representatives regularly travel to promote Washington as a destination for investment and growth. 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."