Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) faces intensified scrutiny following his alleged involvement in triggering a fire alarm within a House office building just before a critical government spending vote on September 30.
This incident has ignited a wave of outrage from Republican lawmakers, with some calling for his expulsion from Congress and drawing parallels to the events of January 6, 2021, at the Capitol.
D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb has formally charged Bowman with a single misdemeanor count for the false activation of the fire alarm, as per court documents.
According to NBC News reports, this charge carries a maximum prison sentence of six months.
However, Bowman has chosen to plead guilty and has agreed to pay the maximum fine of $1,000. In addition, he has committed to issuing a formal apology to the Capitol Police. Compliance with the terms of this agreement, including three months of probation, will result in the dismissal of the charge, as reported by CNN.
The incident in question immediately triggered an investigation by the Capitol Police, necessitating the evacuation of the Cannon House Office Building.
Bowman Charged Over Fire Alarm Incident https://t.co/F8lOF3GP2O pic.twitter.com/xrh1sG1Vuk— Daily Wire News (@DailyWireNews) October 25, 2023
“We finished our investigation. Our agents gathered all the evidence, packaged it up, and sent the entire case with charges to prosecutors for their consideration,” the Capitol Police reported at the time.
An arrest warrant for Bowman contained a detailed account of the incident, provided by Supervisory Special Agent Joseph McAtee of the U.S. Capitol Police.
This account included information about the search for a suspect, an interview with Bowman, and a review of security camera footage capturing the defendant jogging past Capitol Police officers without communication after activating the fire alarm.
“Therefore, based upon the evidence, this affiant has probable cause to believe that the defendant willfully or knowingly gave a false fire alarm within the District of Columbia, in violation” of D.C. code,” the affidavit asserted.
In an apology letter addressed to U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger, Bowman expressed remorse for his actions while vehemently denying any deliberate intent to delay the vote on government spending.
“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,” he stated.
Bowman clarified that his urgency was to reach the vote promptly, which he eventually did, joining his colleagues in a bipartisan effort to ensure the government’s continued operation. He also disclosed that he met with the Sergeant at Arms and the Capitol Police, as requested, to provide an explanation of the incident.
Addressing the situation, Bowman acknowledged the potential for Republican efforts to divert attention from other matters.
“I think we all know that Republicans will attempt to use this to distract everyone from their mess but I look forward to putting this behind me and to continue working hard to deliver for New Yorkers,” he said.