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Rep. Jamaal Bowman to plead guilty to misdemeanor for pulling fire alarm in a Capitol building (www.nbcnews.com)

submitted 1 year ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/politics@lemmy.world

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Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., indicated Wednesday that he will plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge over pulling a fire alarm in a congressional building on Capitol Hill last month.

Bowman has agreed to pay the maximum fine of $1,000 for one misdemeanor count of falsely pulling a fire alarm — a charge that carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail. He will also provide a formal apology to Capitol Police.

“I am responsible for activating a fire alarm, I will be paying the fine issued, and look forward to these charges being ultimately dropped," Bowman said in a statement Wednesday.

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[-] money_loo@lemmy.world 59 points 1 year ago

I mean, he did it by accident in a building entirely separate from the voting. This whole thing is just another case of republicans blowing things way out of proportion for their benefit.

Basically, propaganda.

[-] paultimate14@lemmy.world 40 points 1 year ago

Also he voted FOR the bill they accused him of trying to sabotage.

[-] RadicalEagle@lemmy.world 19 points 1 year ago

I haven't seen the security footage myself, but the article indicates he had an opportunity to tell uniformed officers that he accidentally pulled the alarm but chose not to. It seems like something he did out of frustration, not incompetence. Of course it's impossible to prove intent, but the choice to not report it or explain the situation can't be overlooked. "It's not the crime, it's the cover up."

In a charging affidavit released Wednesday, an investigator said he had reviewed security camera footage and that Bowman can be seen pushing multiple doors that would not open before he looked at the emergency fire alarm pull station "and upon seeing it, he reached out and pulled the fire alarm down."

Bowman can also be seen "jogging" as he exits the building and does not stop to say anything to uniformed officers he passes as he enters the Capitol minutes later, according to the affidavit. It also said the building was evacuated for about 90 minutes before it was reopened after no threat was identified.

[-] rhythmisaprancer@kbin.social -2 points 1 year ago

Ya I would really like to see the footage. From the description the article, it seems pretty hard to say it was purely an accident.

A censure might be a bit much, tho.

[-] aidan@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

he did it by accident

Do you have a source for that?

[-] money_loo@lemmy.world 17 points 1 year ago

The article you didn’t read sources straight from the one responsible.

In a statement hours after the incident, Bowman said he activated the alarm by mistake after having come across a door that was typically open for votes but would not open that day.

“I am embarrassed to admit that I activated the fire alarm, mistakenly thinking it would open the door. I regret this and sincerely apologize for any confusion this caused,” he said at the time.

this post was submitted on 25 Oct 2023

247 points (96.3% liked)

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