As RedState reported, in an unexpected twist, Jamaal Bowman was criminally charged on Wednesday for pulling a fire alarm on the Capitol grounds just prior to a vote seeking to avert a government shutdown. Surveillance cameras caught the far-left congressman in the act, though he would later claim that he thought pulling the alarm would open the adjacent door.
Bowman turned himself in on Thursday morning to law enforcement, pleading guilty to the charge.
WATCH: Democrat Rep. Jamaal Bowman turns himself in to police after being charged for pulling the fire alarm in a House office building pic.twitter.com/ro4eMwn68e
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 26, 2023
Given he’s only facing a first-time misdemeanor, the expectation is that Bowman will face a fine and avoid any jail time. When questioned, he doubled down on his explanation that he was not trying to disrupt the proceedings of Congress by pulling the alarm.
Democrat Rep. Jamaal Bowman still claims he wasn't "trying to disrupt any official government proceeding" when he pulled a giant red lever labeled "FIRE ALARM" just before the House was to vote on averting a government shutdown pic.twitter.com/uKrOPZg4uW
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 26, 2023
As has been noted, “fire alarm” was spelled out on the handle he pulled in very large letters. There should have been no confusion on his part as to what he was doing. Proving his state of mind would have been exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, though.
The next shoe to drop will be what happens in the House of Representatives. With the GOP finally electing a Speaker, the chamber can once again propose resolutions, and Bowman is almost certain to face censure for his actions.
Bowman has become one of the more controversial members of Congress, with his short tenure including heckling Republicans in the hallways and voting against the recent resolution to condemn Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel.
