The fire alarm incident happened during an effort to delay a vote, with Bowman claiming it was unintentional.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy called for consequences after Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., allegedly pulled a fire alarm in a Capitol office building on Saturday. The incident took place as Democrats were attempting to delay a vote, with Republicans rushing to pass a stopgap measure. McCarthy, R-Calif., likened the event to the January 6 riot, referencing how others who had tried to disrupt proceedings had been treated.
McCarthy stated that the action should be treated seriously and warned that Bowman should face punishment. He emphasized that this was a “serious” matter, adding that he would discuss it with the Democratic leadership. “This should not go without punishment. This is an embarrassment,” McCarthy remarked.
Bowman later addressed the situation, claiming that the fire alarm was pulled unintentionally. He explained that he was rushing to make a vote when he encountered a door that was usually open but, on that occasion, was not. “I mistakenly thought activating the fire alarm would open the door. I regret this and sincerely apologize for any confusion this caused,” Bowman said.
The congressman clarified that his intention was not to delay the vote but to participate in the bipartisan effort to keep the government running. A security video showing the incident was distributed to officers to identify the person responsible for pulling the alarm.