Washington DC's Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser travelled 500miles to watch The Masters funded by the tax-payer and claimed it was an 'economic development visit'

Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser used taxpayer money to fund a trip to one of the most exclusive sports events in the world, the US Masters in Augusta, Georgia, last week. 

The mayor's official schedule said that on Saturday April 13, she would be traveling to the Peach state 'as part of a sports and economic development visit.'

The communications director for Bowser's office, Susan Castillo, told DC NewsNow this week that the mayor was invited by two people who are 'spearheading' a plan to rejuvenate two areas of the city.

Bowser was invited by Task Force to Shape Future of Gallery Place/Chinatown Neighborhood’ chairs Jodie McLean and Deborah Ratner Salzberg, Castillo told the website. 

Castillo went on to say that Bowser was willing to travel to any city or any country in the world in order to further her administration's interests. 

Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said earlier this month that promoting sports was one of her administration's goals

Bowser was there to see Scottie Scheffler win the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club

Along for the ride with Bowser were a senior advisor and two other aides, all on the taxpayer's dime

In the wake of a  trip to Dubai in 2023 for a conference, Bowser told the media: 'No matter where I am, my team is working and always in touch with me at a moment’s notice.' 

Despite the admirable nature of the trip to the Masters, Castillo did not tell NewsNow how much taxpayer money was used to pay for the trip. 

WUSA reports that along for the ride with Bowser was senior advisor Beverly Perry and two other aides. 

The station reports that the purpose of the trip was also to capitalize on sports opportunities for the city that already plays host to five professional sports teams. 

'Of course I want my legacy to include really burnishing the sports capital as our reputation,' the mayor told WUSA in April. 

Earlier this month, Bowser was roundly criticized after boasting that crime is down in D.C., compared to last year even though a recent string of violence has sent residents fleeing for Virginia and Maryland suburbs.

Despite an overall 13 percent dip this year January 1 through April 2 compared to the same time period last year, the District of Columbia is still experiencing a rise in crime compared to the norm in years prior to 2023.

It comes after 2023 was recorded as the deadliest year in more than two decades. D.C. also had the largest spike in violent crime out of any other major U.S. city.

Mayor Muriel Bowser faced backlash earlier this month for praising a decrease in crime from the second quarter in 2023 to 2024, but residents claim they do feel any safer and many are fleeing to Virginia and Maryland suburbs to escape the violence and threats

Overall violent crime is down but the MPD notes that the statistics for 2024 are 'preliminary' and subject to change throughout the year as more information becomes available

While some stats are down from 2023, there is still a general upwards trend from years prior. One of the largest crime statistics in D.C. are a result of carjackings, which reached an all-time-high in 2023 but is down 31% so far this year

From January 1 through April 2 last year to this year there was a 13% decrease in overall crime – after a record-high crime year in 2023 in Washington, D.C. 

 While data does reveal a decrease between the specific time period last year to this year, residents are sharing an overall sentiment that crime is on the rise and they are feeling increasingly less safe in D.C. neighborhoods.

As evident, a person was robbed at gunpoint just blocks from the Hart Senate Office Building in April by two individuals, at least one of which was armed with a gun.

Still, Bowser insists that crime is on the decline and claimed it was down by 30 percent compared to last year in a Monday interview with CNBC's Squawk Box.

'We've done the things that we know will reset our public safety ecosystem,' she said.

Outrage ensued over her claims of a decrease in crime.

'Bowser going on cnbc this morning and saying crime is coming down in DC was some next level gaslighting,' one X user wrote on Monday.

Another wrote: 'This is verifiably false.'

While year-to-date comparisons between January 1-April 2 show that there was a dip from 2023 to 2024, there is still an upward trend from previous years.

It appears that 2023 was an outrageous outlier for rising crime in the nation's capital and it would be difficult to be on track to beat the numbers seen last year. From 2022 to 2023, violent crime rose by 39 percent.