Jamaal Bowman, a member of the United States House of Representatives, made headlines on Saturday by pulling a fire alarm in the Capitol office building, coinciding with Republicans' efforts to initiate a vote on a 45-day spending measure to ensure the government's continued operation.
Bowman's actions prompted widespread criticism, including from House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who called for consequences, likening the incident to the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol Hill building.
Kevin McCarthy expressed, "That’s a new low. We watched how people have been treated if they’ve done something wrong in this Capitol — will be interesting to see how he is treated."
McCarthy further demanded that the House Ethics Committee thoroughly investigate Bowman's conduct, emphasizing that there should be repercussions: "This should not go without punishment... This is an embarrassment."
Responding to the extensive criticism, Bowman sought to clarify the situation and issued a statement: "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."
He continued, "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."
Following the incident, the US Capitol Police initiated an investigation. Additionally, the House Administration Committee launched its own probe into the matter.
One Republican member conveyed on X (formerly Twitter), "Rep. Jamal Bowman pulled a fire alarm in Cannon this morning," adding, "An investigation into why it was pulled is underway." A screenshot of security footage was also shared with the police.
Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries refrained from making a comment until he could view the video of the fire alarm being pulled, stating, "Until I see the video, I have no further comment."
Another Republican Congressman, Nicole Malliotakis, took a firm stance by announcing her intent to introduce a resolution for Bowman's expulsion from the House in response to the incident: "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," she proclaimed on X.
Republican Congressman Troy E. Nehls also contributed to the discourse by posting a photo of himself with handcuffs, humorously asking, "Jamaal, are you ready?"
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