Overview
- Rep. Jamaal Bowman has pled guilty to falsely pulling a fire alarm in the Capitol Building, contradicting his initial claim that it was an accident.
- Footage revealed he removed two emergency exit signs before triggering the alarm, which forced an evacuation of a House office building. These actions counter his earlier statement that he was merely trying to open a door.
- Bowman's plea deal results in a $1,000 fine and a written apology to the Capitol Police. The charges will be dismissed in three months, should he not commit a similar offense.
- Previously, Bowman claimed he pulled the alarm in his hurry to a vote on a temporary spending patch to prevent a partial government shutdown.
- Despite his guilty plea, some Democratic colleagues, such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, do not believe Bowman deserves censure for his actions.