The House Ethics Committee has decided not to open an investigation into Democrat Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) over the recent fire alarm scandal.
The committee indicated as much in a press release that it published this week.
Calls for Bowman to be investigated came after he was caught on camera pulling a fire alarm in a Capitol Hill office building.
The radical “Squad” member pulled the alarm just as the House was about to hold a vote on a measure designed to avoid a government shutdown.
The incident took place on September 30, 2023.
Bowman has pled guilty to one misdemeanor charge for falsely pulling a fire alarm.
The New York Post reports:
On Oct. 26, Bowman pleaded guilty to one count of falsely pulling the alarm and agreed to pay a $1,000 fine as part of an agreement with DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb that will see the charges dismissed after three months.
He also pledged to write a personal apology letter to US Capitol Police chief Tom Manger.
Some have claimed that Bowman pulled the alarm in order to help his fellow House Democrats by delaying the vote on the spending measure.
Bowman, however, has said that he pulled the alarm by “accident.”
The congressman claimed he thought pulling the alarm “would open the door.”
Capitol Police have investigated the incident, and, while doing so, they found several pieces of information that contradict Bowman’s claim.
The video shows that he removed two emergency exit signs from the doors before pulling the alarm.
After he pulled the alarm, he was seen “jogging” down a staircase before changing to a walk at a “normal pace” when reaching New Jersey Avenue.
He then passed at least seven Capitol Police officers without telling them what happened.
Still, Bowman was only hit with a misdemeanor charge.
The House Ethics Committee’s press release states that the committee’s members chose not to open an investigation into Bowman’s pulling of the fire alarm.
The press release states:
“On October 26, 2023, Representative Jamaal Bowman was charged by the D.C. Attorney General’s Office with a misdemeanor violation of making a false alarm of fire.
“Pursuant to Committee Rule 18(e)(2) and House Rule XI, clause 3(b)(9), within 30 days of a Member being indicted or otherwise formally charged with criminal conduct, the Committee shall either establish an Investigative Subcommittee (“ISC”) or report to the House describing its reasons for not establishing an ISC.”
It continues, “Pursuant to Committee Rule 10(a), establishment of an ISC and a report to the House regarding the conduct of a Member both require an affirmative vote of a majority of the Members of the Committee.
“A majority of the Members of the Committee did not agree to establish an ISC or report to the House regarding Representative Bowman’s conduct.”
The committee is made up of five Republicans and five Democrats.
It is unclear how the members voted.
But, it appears that, for the most part, Bowman has managed to escape any real consequences for his actions.
