House Censures Rep. Bowman for False Fire Alarm

House Votes to Reprimand Democrat for September Incident

Bowman Pulled Alarm in House Office Building

Washington, D.C. - The Republican-led House of Representatives voted Thursday to censure Democratic Representative Jamaal Bowman of New York for setting off a false fire alarm in a House office building in September.

The censure resolution, which passed 219-202, largely along party lines, condemned Bowman for "acting in a manner that disrupted the orderly conduct of business in the House" and "falsely activating a fire alarm system."

Bowman has apologized for the incident, saying he pulled the alarm after hearing a noise that he believed was a gunshot. However, Capitol Police investigators found no evidence of a gunshot.

In a statement, Bowman said he was "deeply disappointed" by the censure resolution, calling it "a partisan attack" that was "not based on the facts."

The censure resolution is a rare form of punishment in the House. It is typically reserved for members who have engaged in serious misconduct.

Conclusion

The censure of Rep. Bowman is the latest example of the deep partisan divide in the House of Representatives. The incident also raises questions about the security of the Capitol complex in the wake of the January 6th attack.