WASHINGTON — The New York congressman who pulled a fire alarm last month as the U.S. House of Representatives was considering a Republican bill to fund the government pleaded guilty Thursday morning to making a false fire alarm.
Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) was charged with a single count of making a false fire alarm – a petty misdemeanor offense that carries a maximum fine of up to $100 under D.C. Code. He pleaded guilty Thursday in D.C. Superior Court and was ordered to return to court on Jan. 29 when, he told reporters, he expected to pay a fine and have the charge dismissed under an agreement reached with the D.C. Attorney General's Office.
“Listen, you know, I pulled the fire alarm. I did not do it to disrupt the proceeding like I said. I was trying to get out the door. I was rushing to a vote," Bowman said. "We have an agreement in place. I’m thankful in three months it’s going to be dismissed. And now let’s move on.”
A spokesperson for the attorney general's office said Bowman was treated like any other resident of D.C. would be.
"Based on the evidence presented by Capitol Police, we charged the only crime that we have jurisdiction to prosecute," the office said. "He is pleading guilty and has agreed to pay the maximum fine."
Bowman has always maintained he did not intend to set off the fire alarm, which he said was triggered while he attempted to exit the Cannon House Office Building and rush to the U.S. Capitol for a vote on a bill to avert a government shutdown. At the time, Democrats were seeking to delay the vote for additional time to review the Republican-backed funding package. The package eventually passed in a 335-91 vote with broad support from Democrats, including Bowman.
According to an affidavit filed in D.C. Superior Court, security footage shows Bowman press on the right push bar of a door leading to Independence Avenue and then the left. When neither opens, he can allegedly be seen pulling the emergency fire alarm on a nearby wall and then walking away. According to the affidavit, at the time there were three posted signs marking the door as an emergency exit.
Police say the fire alarm caused the building to be evacuated for approximately an hour-and-a-half. Bowman acknowledged he walked past multiple Capitol Police officers on his way to vote at the Capitol and did not inform any of them about the alarm.
Republicans, including then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) were quick to call for Bowman to be punished. On Wednesday. House Administration Committee Chairman Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) praised the charge and suggested the Ethics Committee should investigate Bowman as well.
“Rep. Bowman’s excuse does not pass the sniff test,” Steil’s statement said.