Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) will not be investigated by the House Ethics Committee for pulling a fire alarm in a House office building ahead of a government spending vote at the end of September when there was not an emergency.
In a brief statement on Wednesday, Ethics Chairman Michael Guest (R-MS) and ranking member Susan Wild (D-PA) announced that a majority of the panel’s members “did not agree” to establish an Investigative Subcommittee (ISC) or report to the House regarding Bowman’s conduct.
The firm alarm triggered by Bowman, a former middle school principal and member of the leftist “Squad,” led to an evacuation of Cannon House Office Building and a Capitol Police investigation that resulted in a criminal referral to prosecutors in Washington, D.C.
🚨 NEW FOOTAGE: Democrat Rep. Jamaal Bowman removes warning signs before pulling the fire alarm in a House office building last month pic.twitter.com/dhwOQN2G6y
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Bowman pleaded guilty last month to a misdemeanor count of falsely pulling a fire alarm, agreeing to pay a $1,000 fine, serve three months probation, and issue a formal apology to the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP).
“I really regret that this caused so much confusion and that people had to evacuate, and I just caused a disturbance. I hate that. It’s pretty embarrassing,” Bowman said after his plea hearing, according to the Associated Press.
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Though the incident took place during a showdown over spending that ultimately resulted in Washington averting a government shutdown with a 45-day continuing resolution, Bowman denied that pulling the alarm was a delay tactic.
“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,” Bowman said in a statement, insisting that he “mistakenly” thought activating the fire alarm would open a door that was “usually open for votes” but on that weekend day “would not open.”
House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil (R-WI) released a statement last month dismissing Bowman’s explanation of what transpired on September 30, citing findings by law enforcement.
“Rep. Bowman’s excuse does not pass the sniff test. After pulling the fire alarm, Rep. Bowman fled the scene, passed by multiple Capitol Police officers and had every opportunity to alert USCP of his mistake,” Steil said. “I want to thank U.S. Capitol Police for their swift attention to this incident, and encourage the Ethics Committee to further pursue this matter.”