Rep. Jamaal Bowman hit with misdemeanor charge for pulling fire alarm as House debated spending vote
Far-left New York Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman was charged with a misdemeanor Wednesday after he pulled a fire alarm last month as the House voted on spending legislation to avoid a partial government shutdown.
Bowman, 47, was due to be booked and processed by Capitol Police Thursday on the charge of raising a false fire alarm, which carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a fine of up to $1,000.
He entered into an agreement with DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb to have his charges withdrawn in three months if the congressman issues a formal apology to Capitol Police and pays a $1,000 fine, Bowman’s office told The Post.
In an affidavit filed in Washington, DC, Superior Court on Wednesday, a Capitol Police investigator said Bowman testified that the emergency exit “was a usual door he uses” during votes and “he did not tell anyone” about the infraction until the “Sergeant at Arms contacted him.”
Bowman also denied that he “intended to cause a fire alarm,” “intended to cause a security concern,” or “intended to disrupt or obstruct a Congressional proceeding.”
He further said the sign inside the Cannon House Office Building read: “emergency exit only push to open.”
The investigator noted that the sign actually states: “Emergency Exit Only Push Until Alarm Sounds (3 Seconds) Door Will Unlock in 30 Seconds.”
Security camera footage reviewed by the investigator also reveals Bowman “jogging” down a staircase away from the emergency exit door he tried to open and then “walking at a normal pace” as he leaves the building onto New Jersey Ave.
The lawmaker went on to pass at least seven Capitol Police officers without informing them of his actions, according to the footage, which resulted in the evacuation of the House office building for an hour and a half.
The investigator concluded based on the evidence that there was “probable cause to believe that the defendant willfully or knowingly gave a false fire alarm in the District of Columbia.”
“I’m thankful from the District of Columbia Attorney General’s office on this issue and grateful that the United States Capitol Police General Counsel’s agreed I did not obstruct or intend to obstruct any House vote or proceedings,” Bowman said in a statement following the charge.
“I am responsible for activating a fire alarm, I will be paying the fine issued, and look forward to these charges being ultimately dropped,” he added.
“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.”
Bowman’s office had previously circulated a memo of talking points that had said Republicans should be more worried about “Nazis” in their midst than drawing attention to the fire alarm incident.
The “Squad” congressman later issued a mea culpa for the wording of the memo, saying it had been issued “without my consent.”
“I condemn the use of the term Nazi out of its precise definition,” he posted on X at the time. “It is important to specify the term Nazi to refer to members of the Nazi party & neo-Nazis.”
A conservative watchdog has filed a separate complaint with the Office of Congressional Ethics, saying Bowman had failed to conduct himself “in a manner that reflects creditably on the House.”
Bowman, who represents New York’s 16th Congressional District, is facing at least two Democratic primary challengers next year including finance executive Martin Dolan who declared his campaign on Oct. 1.
Michael Gerald, a Baptist church pastor and former New Jersey state trooper who has also declared, previously told The Post the congressman’s actions in pulling the fire alarm were “the height of idiocy.”
“He heard, as we all did going to school, ‘Don’t pull the fire alarm,’” Gerald said, pointing out Bowman must have “presided over a countless number of fire drills” as a former middle school principal.
