Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) agreed to plead guilty to pulling a fire alarm at the U.S. Capitol.
In the agreement, the Washington, D.C., attorney general agreed to drop the charges in three months if Bowman issued an apology and paid $1000.
“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 following the agreement.
“I’m thankful for the quick resolution from the District of Columbia Attorney General’s office on this issue and grateful that the United States Capitol Police General Counsel’s office agreed I did not obstruct nor intend to obstruct any House vote or proceedings,” he added.
Last month, a video emerged of Bowman pulling a U.S. Capitol fire alarm in the Cannon Building while rushing to make the vote for the bill that would determine a government shutdown.
Rep. Bowman asserted that he pulled the fire alarm because he was trying to open a door that was unexpectedly locked.
“I came to a door that is usually open for votes but today would not open,” Bowman explained in a statement. “I am embarrassed to admit that I activated the fire alarm, mistakenly thinking it would open the door.”
According to guidance sent to Democrat offices, Bowman “was not attempting to delay the vote that he intended to vote yes on, and was simply just trying to rush to the Capitol.”
The guidance added that Republicans have used the event as a means to “minimize January 6th insurrectionists.”
“Republicans need to instead focus their energy on the Nazi members of their party before anything else,” the guidance read.
Republicans called for the situation to receive similar treatment for committing a felony as the greatly-politicized January 6 defendants have faced.
