D.C. Mayor Bowser Address Councilmember Arrested on Bribery Charges After it Surfaces She Supervises 2 Offices Mentioned in Indictment

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

D.C. Councilmember Trayon White was arrested on bribery charges, accused of taking $156,000 in kickbacks in return for influencing the awarding of city government contracts. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who supervises two of the city offices mentioned in the federal indictment, answered questions briefly before departing for the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last week.

“I haven’t been able to read anything that the court has released,” Mayor Bowser said Monday. “I understand the documents or indictment have been unsealed and we will spend time looking at it.”

At a news conference, Mayor Bowser mentioned that she was informed of White’s arrest only after it had occurred. On Monday morning, her office held a private meeting with reporters to address separate, ongoing issues with the city’s emergency services. Mayor Bowser did not participate in that meeting. Later, at a press conference held at a D.C. public school, she spoke about the upcoming school year and fielded questions regarding the ongoing issues with the 911 dispatch system and the bribery charges. She acknowledged the gravity of the federal charges but provided limited information on how they might affect city operations or what actions her administration might take.

“When I know more, we will definitely say if there’s any impact on government operations. We’ll be looking at what happened,” Bowser said Monday.

On Wednesday, Mayor Bowser’s office released a statement indicating that it would look into Councilman White’s interactions with specific city programs mentioned in the indictment. The mayor pledged to cooperate with law enforcement but did not commit to making any findings from the city’s investigation public.

In May, Shine My Crown reported that Bowser faced backlash after details emerged of a “business trip” she took to Augusta, Georgia in April.

According to FOX 5 DC, Bowser had visited the city in Georgia to attend the Masters. At the time, she was there as part of a “sports and economic development visit,” according to the mayor’s public calendar. But some argue that the trip was for personal reasons.