US Capitol Police
Rep. Jamal Bowman sounded the fire alarm at the Cannon House office building on Saturday. The image above was obtained by a source claiming to be from the US Capitol Police.
CNN
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Rep. Jamal Bowman sounded the fire alarm at the Cannon House office building Saturday morning. Vote on the Government Finance BillThe New York Democrat called it an accident.
House Administration Committee Chairman Brian Steele, Republican of Wisconsin, first disclosed the incident.
“Deputy (Jamal) Bowman pulled a fire alarm at Cannon this morning. An investigation is underway as to why it was pulled,” Steele said in a statement.
Bowman’s office called it an accident, and the congressman told reporters later Saturday: “I was trying to get to a door. I thought the alarm would open the door and accidentally pulled the fire alarm to open the door.
“I tried to get my vote in and the door that’s usually open wasn’t open, it was closed,” Bowman added.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc./Getty Images/FILE
Representative Jamal Bowman, a Democrat from New York, arrives in the US capital on June 22, 2023.
As soon as Bowman was identified in security footage, the leadership of both parties was briefed on the situation, a source familiar with the matter said.
Representative Lisa McClain, a Michigan Republican and member of the GOP leadership committee, told CNN that she is circulating a resolution to censure Bowman over the incident. He said he already has co-sponsors.
Bowman, however, laughed off the GOP response to Saturday’s incident, telling reporters, “What are they going to do. This is what they do.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
