A GOP Congresswoman put forth a motion to expel Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) after Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy called for Bowman to be punished for pulling a fire alarm in a House office building as Congress was preparing to vote on a continuing resolution to fund the government for forty-five days to avoid a shutdown at midnight.
A spokeswoman for Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) offered a (lame) excuse for him being caught on camera pulling a fire alarm in the Cannon House Office Building Saturday as the House was preparing to vote on a continuing resolution to fund the government.
Screen image from Capitol Police surveillance video shows Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) pulling a fire alarm in the Cannon House Office Building as the House was preparing to vote on a short term funding bill to avoid a government shutdown, September 30 2023.
Fox News’ Chad Pergram reported Bowman spokeswoman Emma Simon sent out this statement to reporters, “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.”
Pergram later reported Bowman telling 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.”
Bowman is a former school principal and surely knows what happens when a fire alarm is pulled. From Bowman’s House website (bold added): “In 2009, he went on to found Cornerstone Academy for Social Action (CASA), a Bronx middle school focused on unlocking the natural brilliance of all children through a holistic curriculum, where he served as principal for a decade.”
McCarthy spoke about Bowman while addressing reporters after the House passed the continuing resolution (NBC News excerpt):
“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.
McCarthy went on to say that the Ethics Committee should take the pulled fire alarm “seriously.”
“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.”
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) released a resolution to expel Bowman:
Source:
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.”
Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) is working on a censure resolution reported the Washington Examiner’s Reese Gorman, “News: @RepLisaMcClain has drafted a motion to censure Rep. Bowman for pulling the fire alarm and it has been sent to Leg Counsel. Collins, Franklin, Mace, Maliotakis, Carol Miller, and Bergman have joined as cosponsors, per McClain’s office.”
McClain also posted, “This is a felony, plain and simple. USCP had to waste resources investigating rather than actually keeping the Capitol safe. The House must hold Rep. Bowman accountable. Now.”
Other Republicans supporting Bowman’s expulsion:
Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA):
Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), “Today, we would’ve been working from our office in Cannon, helping constituents before a potential government shuts down, BUT Congressman Jamal Bowman pulled the fire alarm to delay the CR. EXPEL THE CONGRESSMAN!”
Committee on House Administration Chairman Brian Steil (R-WI) posted a statement that the incident was under investigation, “Rep Jamaal Bowman pulled a fire alarm in Cannon this morning. An investigation into why it was pulled is underway. – Chairman Bryan Steil”