Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, is facing scrutiny from ethics watchdog groups for accepting a trip to the Masters golf tournament from a business mogul with investments in the district — who also happens to be a Bowser donor.
Bowser flew to the exclusive Augusta, Georgia-based tournament in April with CEO Jodie McLean of the real estate developer EDENS on a private jet that McLean’s company arranged, the Washington City Paper reported, noting tickets on the flight run between $5,000 and $6,000. The ritzy trip was planned with the understanding from both parties “that the expense would be reimbursed,” according to EDENS, but ethics experts are concerned about an apparent lack of government transparency over the excursion. On her schedule at the time, Bowser had listed it as a “sports and economic development” trip.
“Mayor Bowser appears to have encroached upon numerous violations of D.C.’s gift laws for public officials, which she is now back-peddling on in an effort to correct the violations,” Craig Holman, an ethics expert for the Public Citizen think tank, told the Washington Examiner.
Holman pointed to how Washington, D.C.’s ethics manual outlines that district employees are not allowed to accept gifts above certain values from individuals with business pending before the district. While Bowser has since sought to correct the record and make clear she will apparently issue a reimbursement for the travel, she has acted in secrecy and evaded public inspection, said Holman, pointing to other rules concerning the need for employees to keep accurate records of any gifts.
The developing Bowser controversy is opening the mayor up to conflict of interest concerns since EDENS reportedly has Washington, D.C., real estate assets — including a retail and dining space that runs 40 acres in the neighborhood of Union Market.
The company’s CEO, McLean, has donated to Bowser in the past, according to a Washington Examiner review of campaign finance records. McLean directed $2,000 to Bowser’s campaign in 2018 and, in 2014, had also given Bowser $2,000.
The D.C. mayor’s office has not yet released crucial details about the Masters trip, including its total cost and what events Bowser attended at the golf tournament, the Washington City Paper reported.
To Kendra Arnold, executive director of the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust watchdog group, the government must always be transparent with its spending to keep taxpayers in the loop.
“Anytime there is secrecy, like in this case, it raises questions and with the currently known facts here, it does look suspicious and requires investigation and answers,” Arnold told the Washington Examiner.
Caitlin Sutherland, who leads the Americans for Public Trust watchdog group, said Bowser’s effort to try to clean up the ethical lapse isn’t surprising given her poor track record of permitting lawlessness in the district. Washington, D.C., has seen a significant spike in homicides during her time as mayor.
“While D.C. residents suffer from the rising crime and chaos in her own city, Mayor Bowser enjoyed a lavish trip to the Masters that appears to flaunt gift restrictions,” Sutherland said. “Now that the mayor has been caught, she’s attempting to course correct and forcing taxpayers to foot the bill.”
One group, the American Accountability Foundation, called Bowser’s trip “an embarrassment and unethical.”
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“The city cannot provide basic services such as law enforcement and public schooling and the mayor is saddling the city with thousands of dollars for her to go hang out at Augusta National,” said Tom Jones, who directs the organization.
The Washington Examiner has reached out for comment to the D.C. mayor’s office.
