Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) could face an ethics probe, criminal charges and even an expulsion attempt after he triggered a fire alarm earlier today as House Democrats were trying to delay a funding bill vote.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who said the House Ethics Committee should investigate the matter, told reporters he planned to talk to Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries about the incident.
Bowman was caught on camera pulling a fire alarm in the Cannon House Office Building earlier Saturday. Bowman later told reporters he was rushing to get to a vote on the floor and thought “the alarm would open the door.” Sarah Iddrissu, Bowman’s chief of staff, said the New York Democrat “regrets any confusion.”
What resulted was a chaotic scene: The Cannon building was being evacuated with fire alarms blaring as House Democrats were scrambling to delay a vote on the stopgap funding bill that had been released by Republicans moments before.
Later in the day, after it was revealed that Bowman was behind the false alarm, some Republicans immediately began calling for his expulsion.
We first reported that Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) has a resolution to expel Bowman she put out today.
Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) is moving forward with a censure motion against Bowman, according to her office. Malliotakis, along with Reps. Mike Collins (R-Ga.), Scott Franklin (R-Fla.), Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Carol Miller (R-W.Va.), Jack Bergman (R-Mich.) have co-sponsored that resolution.
Other House Republicans expressed interest in supporting that move.
“We need to move to expel him,” Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) told us.
Rep. Ben Cline (R-Va.) said expulsion is “something to consider” regarding Bowman, while Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) called his actions “irresponsible.”
Jeffries, who met with Bowman in his office after the incident, had little to say about the matter.
“I haven’t seen the video. Until I see the video, I have no further comment,” Jeffries said at a press conference Saturday afternoon.
Falsely pulling a fire alarm is a criminal misdemeanor in Washington, punishable by fine or jail time of up to six months.
— Heather Caygle and Mica Soellner
