WASHINGTON — Congressman Jamaal Bowman was charged Wednesday with a misdemeanor for falsely pulling the fire alarm at a congressional office building before the House of Representatives voted on a stopgap spending bill to fund the government in September.
He is expected to plead guilty, formally apologize, and pay a $1,000 fine. The alarm prompted an evacuation of a House office building. It reopened an hour after Capitol Police determined it was not a threat.
The office of the D.C. attorney general confirmed in a statement that Bowman “is pleading guilty and has agreed to pay the maximum fine.”
“I’m thankful for the quick resolution from the District of Columbia Attorney General’s office on this issue and grateful that the United States Capitol Police General Counsel’s office agreed I did not obstruct nor intend to obstruct any House vote or proceedings. I am responsible for activating a fire alarm, I will be paying the fine issued, and I look forward to these charges being ultimately dropped,” Rep. Bowman shared with Black Westchester, on Wednesday. “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.”
Court documents say Rep. Bowman, knowingly pulled the fire alarm in the Cannon House office building on September 30th while the House was voting to keep the government funded.
Congressman Bowman has acknowledged pulling the alarm, telling Black Westchester within hours that it was a mistake. He said he was rushing to get to votes and trying to get through a door that is usually open but was closed for the weekend.
Security camera footage reviewed by the Capitol Police shows Bowman allegedly looking at the doors which read “Emergency Exit Only Push Until Alarm sounds,” and when those doors were locked, looked at the fire alarm and allegedly pulled it, according to the court documents.
Congressman Bowman shared with Black Westchester, that he made an agreement with the DC AG that entails withdrawing any charges in three months if the Congressman provides a formal apology to the Capitol Police and pays a $1,000 fine for wrongly pulling a fire alarm.
