Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), a member of the progressive “Squad,” has faced charges and surrendered to authorities in Washington, D.C. for his role in pulling a fire alarm, an act that disrupted congressional proceedings amidst the heated negotiations that took place during last month’s near government shutdown.
Bowman chose to plead guilty to the misdemeanor count of falsely activating a fire alarm and agreed to pay the maximum penalty of $1,000. In addition, he will issue a formal apology to the Capitol Police who maintain security at the Cannon House Office Building, the location where the incident occurred.
Although the law permits a jail sentence of up to six months for such a crime, it seems improbable that Congressman Bowman will serve any jail time. Bowman had previously claimed the incident as an accidental mishap, asserting that he believed he was merely trying to open a door. He had emphatically denied any intentions to delay House proceedings or votes. Not many people in D.C. believed him.
Now, a new video released today shows Bowman saw warning signs on the door, which was locked, and removed the signs. He then pulled the fire alarm without ever attempting to open the door,