House Votes to Censure Rep. Bowman Over Fire Alarm Incident

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The House of Representatives voted to censure Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) over an incident in September where Bowman falsely pulled a fire alarm.

For Context: Bowman’s critics accused him of intentionally pulling the fire alarm to delay a vote on a spending bill. Bowman denied this accusation, claiming the incident was an accident and that he thought the alarm would open a door. In late October, Bowman pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for the incident, agreeing to pay a fine and write an apology to Capitol police.

Details: The vote passed 214-191. Three Democrats voted in favor of the censure and four voted “present.” All Republicans voted in favor, apart from one “present” vote. This is the 27th censure passed by the House in its history. It is the third this year, following the censures of Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI).

Key Quotes: Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI), who introduced the censure resolution, stated, “It is reprehensible that a Member of Congress would go to such lengths to prevent House Republicans from bringing forth a vote to keep the government operating and Americans receiving their paychecks.” Bowman denied this claim, stating, “The legal process on this matter has played out. In no way did I obstruct official proceedings. The vote took place.”

How the Media Covered It: Outlets across the spectrum covered the censure. Fox News (Right bias) called Bowman’s fire alarm pull a “stunt,” while left- and center-rated outlets used more neutral language to describe it. 

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House members voted again Thursday to punish one of their own, targeting Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman for triggering a fire alarm in a U.S. Capitol office building when the chamber was in session.

The Republican censure resolution passed with a few Democratic votes, but most of the party stood by Bowman in opposition of an effort they said lacked credibility and integrity. The prominent progressive now becomes the third Democratic House member to be admonished this year through the censure process, which is a punishment one step below expulsion from the House.

House Republicans censured Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) on Thursday after he falsely pulled a fire alarm in a House office building in September, hitting the New York Democrat with a congressional reprimand that liberals derided as “extreme” and “profoundly stupid.”

The chamber voted 214-191-5, mostly along party lines, on the resolution to censure Bowman. Three Democrats — Reps. Chris Pappas (N.H.), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Wash.) and Jahana Hayes (Conn.) — voted with all Republicans in favor of the censure. Four Democrats and one Republican voted “present.”

The House of Representatives is formally reprimanding Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., on Thursday morning over his pulling of a fire alarm earlier this year.

The House voted largely along party lines, 214 to 191, to censure Bowman, who pulled the alarm despite no immediate threat of a fire in the middle of a dramatic floor vote. Three Democrats voted with Republicans to censure him — Reps. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash.; Chris Pappas, D-N.H.; and Jahana Hayes, D-Conn.

Five members of the House Ethics Committee voted "present."