Democrat Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) has found himself in hot water after pulling a fire alarm in the Capitol building to shut down Congressional proceedings effectively.
Bowman’s actions were aimed at obstructing a crucial vote that would have kept the government operational.
The Capitol Police have released the photo.
According to a report by Breitbart News, Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) allegedly tore down two signs warning that a door on the second floor of the Cannon House Office Building was for emergency use only. He then proceeded to pull the fire alarm, leading to a full-scale law enforcement and emergency services response, which resulted in the evacuation of the building.
Multiple sources familiar with the ongoing investigation have provided Breitbart News with photographs of the scene.
These photos show that the emergency exit door had two large red signs stating, “EMERGENCY EXIT ONLY—PUSH UNTIL ALARM SOUNDS (3 SECONDS) DOOR WILL UNLOCK IN 30 SECONDS.” Another sign on a stand in front of the door also indicated that it was an emergency exit only.
According to a source familiar with the matter, Bowman casually approached the door earlier in the day, ripped off the emergency signs, and threw them on the floor.
He then attempted to open the door and pulled the fire alarm. After the alarm was triggered, Bowman left the building through a different door on the first floor and made his way across the street to cast votes. At no point did he apologize or indicate that pulling the fire alarm was a mistake.
In response to Bowman pulling the alarm, his digital director, Emma Simon, offered a lame excuse, stating, “Congressman Bowman did not realize he would trigger a building alarm as he was rushing to make an urgent vote. The Congressman regrets any confusion.”
It was later reported Bowman told reporters, “I was just trying to get to my vote the door that’s usually open wasn’t open..I didn’t mean to cause confusion. I didn’t know it was going to trip the whole building. I thought it would help me open the door.”
This is a false statement, as Rep. George Santos later proved in a video he released after the dangerous incident.
Later in the evening, Bowman issued a statement begging for forgiveness:
I want to personally clear up confusion surrounding today’s events. Today, as I was rushing to make a vote, I came to a door that is usually open for votes but today would not open. I am embarrassed to admit that I activated the fire alarm, mistakenly thinking it would open the door. I regret this and sincerely apologize for any confusion this caused.
But I want to be very clear, this was not me, in any way, trying to delay any vote. It was the exact opposite — I was trying urgently to get to a vote, which I ultimately did and joined my colleagues in a bipartisan effort to keep our government open. I also met after the vote with the Sergeant at Arms and the Capitol Police, at their request, and explained what had happened. My hope is that no one will make more of this than it was. I am working hard every day, including today, to do my job, to do it well, and deliver for my constituents.
Peace and Love.
Statement from Congressman Jamaal Bowman. pic.twitter.com/v6qjdHNI7T
— Congressman Jamaal Bowman (@RepBowman) October 1, 2023
Laura Loomer blasted Bowman on his outright lie: “Omfg he wants us to believe he actually thought the fire alarm was the way to open the door. Nobody is buying this lie. The doors all were marked as EMERGENCY EXIT ALARM WILL SOUND! There was even a big red sign in front of the door Rep. Bowman exited. He’s a god damn liar.”
Omfg he wants us to believe he actually thought the fire alarm was the way to open the door. Nobody is buying this lie. The doors all were marked as EMERGENCY EXIT ALARM WILL SOUND! There was even a big red sign in front of the door @RepBowman exited.
He’s a god damn liar.… https://t.co/g8pFjRWL3m pic.twitter.com/CdPiJnsfCv
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) October 1, 2023
X user Greg Price slammed Bowman’s lame excuse, “In fairness to Jamaal, there really is no other way to spin this except for using the “I’m the biggest fucking idiot that has ever lived” defense.”
In fairness to Jamaal, there really is no other way to spin this except for using the “I’m the biggest fucking idiot that has ever lived” defense
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) October 1, 2023
Thomas Massie wrote on Saturday, “In case you missed it, this is the same stable individual who pulled the fire alarm today in the Capitol during votes.”
In case you missed it, this is the same stable individual who pulled the fire alarm today in the Capitol during votes. https://t.co/9IFpxKYH0a
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) October 1, 2023
Today, there are hundreds of Trump supporters who walked inside the open doors of the US Capitol, shook hands with police, and were sentenced to months and years in federal prison for these innocent acts.
Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio was sentenced to 22 years in prison for the Jan. 6 protests he did not even attend. Tarrio was not even in the District of Columbia at the time.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) immediately called on the Biden DOJ to prosecute Democrat Jamaal Bowman using the same law they used to prosecute J6 defendants who were charged with interfering with an official proceeding.
McCarthy spoke about Bowman while addressing reporters after the House passed the continuing resolution.
“When you think about how other people were treated when they come in and wanted to change the course of what was happening in the building,” McCarthy said.
“This should not go without punishment,” McCarthy said. “I’m gonna have a discussion with the Democratic leader about it. But this should not go without punishment. This is an embarrassment.”
Speaker McCarthy on Jamaal Bowman: “When we found that an individual who was elected to Congress would pull the fire alarm, that’s a new low. We watched how people have been treated if they’ve done something wrong in this Capitol…”pic.twitter.com/LSbLANtuAH
— ALX (@alx) September 30, 2023
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) released a resolution to expel Bowman.
Malliotakis posted, “This is the United States Congress, not a New York City high school. This action warrants expulsion & I’m introducing a resolution to do just that.”
This is the United States Congress, not a New York City high school. This action warrants expulsion & I’m introducing a resolution to do just that. https://t.co/rfnLDzFHmK
— Office of Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (@RepMalliotakis) September 30, 2023
Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) refuses to condemn the actions of Jamaal Bowman.
“Are you concerned…that Congressman Jamaal Bowman is accused of pulling a fire alarm in a congressional office building?”
Hakeem Jeffries: Gotta hear both sides pic.twitter.com/7gFTa0hyhD
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 30, 2023