Rep. Jamaal Bowman took down emergency exit signs before pulling fire alarm: video
Before Rep. Jamaal Bowman “accidentally” activated a fire alarm and forced the evacuation of a House office building last month, the far-left lawmaker hastily removed two emergency exit signs from nearby doors, footage released Thursday revealed.
The 47-year-old Bronx and Westchester Democrat then made his way to the alarm on the nearby wall and yanked it before turning on his heel and walking away — still holding one of the signs — rather than trying to go out through the door as he initially claimed.
The video, made public hours after Bowman pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of falsely pulling a fire alarm, disproves his version of the Sept. 30 debacle.
“I was trying to get to a door. I thought the alarm would open the door, and I pulled the fire alarm to open the door by accident,” Bowman said at the time.
“I was just trying to get to my vote and the door that’s usually open wasn’t open, it was closed.”
But new footage obtained by NY1 shows the opposite of Bowman’s version of events. As National Review Online editor Philip Klein put it: “He didn’t pull the fire alarm to open the door; he tried to open the door to sound the fire alarm.”
Many lawmakers, staffers, and reporters who frequent the Cannon Office Building were puzzled by Bowman’s initial explanation and pointed out that the door he was trying to get through was a clearly marked emergency exit.
“Emergency Exit Only!” the signs taken down by Bowman read. “Push until alarm sounds (3 seconds). Door will unlock in 30 seconds.”
Critics were quick to mock Bowman over the new video, with Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) chiding on X: “This is what lawyers would call ‘intent.'”
“He thought it would open the door, which is why he walked away after pulling the alarm without ever turning towards the door,” attorney Damin Toell wrote sarcastically on X.
“To be clear, he pushed/kicked the door, took the sign down, flung it on the floor, pulled the alarm,” said Ellen Carmichael, president of the Lafayette Co. communications firm. “Just like everyone said he did and the opposite of what his office said he did. He is a liar and, in addition to the charges he pled guilty to, he should be censured for it.”
“Jamaal Bowman must never be allowed to be taken seriously in DC again,” argued writer and podcast host Jeff Blehar. “There’s no point in tossing him out, his constituents would just vote for him again and he becomes a folk hero. But this stupid, babyish manchild is beyond respect.”
Right after the ordeal, Bowman claimed that he had been scrambling to get to a vote on legislation to avert a partial government shutdown.
At the time, Republicans had just dropped a temporary spending patch to keep the government’s lights on until Nov. 17.
Democrats were in a mad dash to comb through the bill to flag any poison pills. Ultimately, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) spoke for nearly an hour on the floor to buy time.
Bowman acknowledged in his guilty plea that he “willfully and knowingly” gave a “false alarm of a fire,” in violation of District of Columbia law.
He also agreed to write an apology letter to the Capitol Police chief.
In exchange, DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb’s office will dismiss the charge against him in three months if he doesn’t commit a repeat offense.
“I’m thankful for the quick resolution from the D.C. 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 instruct any House vote or proceedings,” Bowman said in a statement 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,” Bowman went on.
A spokesperson for US Capitol Police clarified Wednesday evening: “Our General Counsel did not, nor anyone in our Department, make that determination. We sent the thoroughly investigated case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and prosecutors there did not pursue it.”
Investigators claimed to have reviewed surveillance footage that showed the lawmaker “jogging” down a staircase away from the emergency door before “walking at a normal pace” when he exited the building.
Authorities ultimately concluded there was “probable cause to believe that the defendant willfully or knowingly gave a false fire alarm in the District of Columbia.”
Some of Bowman’s Democratic colleagues such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) defended him at the time.
“He himself admits he’s embarrassed. He released a statement last night, he apologized,” AOC told CNN shortly after the controversy erupted.
On Thursday, Jeffries told reporters that he does not believe Bowman deserved censure for his conduct.
Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) is proposing a resolution to rebuke Bowman over his actions. Scandal-plagued Long Island Rep. George Santos (R-NY) is among those backing the effort.
Bowman is expected to return to court for a hearing on Jan. 29, 2024, that will assess his compliance with the deal and consider dismissing the charge.
Bowman’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new footage.
