Jamaal Bowman Charged in Fire Alarm Incident

Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) has formally been charged for pulling the fire alarm at the Capitol during a formal session.

The charges were announced Wednesday afternoon, and Bowman is hoping to have this all behind him as soon as possible.

However, he still contends that this was done by accident.

I Did It

During the investigation, Bowman told authorities that due to the fact a vote was about to take place, he was in a rush and thought the fire alarm would only open the doors.

Now, Bowman is a former principal, so not a lot of people are buying the idea that he did not know how a fire alarm works.

He has probably conducted hundreds of fire drills, so it just seems ridiculous that is the excuse that he is using here.

Regardless, that is what he went with and apparently, Capitol Police are accepting his story at face value.

The warrant stated, "[Bowman] advised that usually when votes are called, all doors are open, and that door is usually open (the second-floor door leading to Independence Ave). The defendant further stated that this door was a usual door he uses. The defendant advised that he then went to a Dem (Democratic) meeting and a vote at the Capitol, then the House Sergeant at Arms contacted him.”

He contends that he saw a sign that stated, "emergency exit only push to open," so "he pushed on the door and pulled the lever next to it, which must have been the alarm."

I guess he did not see the sign that said, “FIRE. Push In, Pull Down.”

Bowman told the media, "It was a lapse of judgment if you will. … Wasn't a conscious decision to do something wrong.”

Bowman has pleaded guilty, and he will have to pay a $1,000 fine and “stay out of trouble for three months.”