Rep. Jamaal Bowman hit with criminal charge for Capitol building fire alarm incident

Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., has been charged with a misdemeanor as the result of an incident that took place in a congressional building on Capitol Hill last month where it was found that he triggered a fire alarm for no good reason. According to Bowman, he was rushing to cast his vote on a government funding bill that day and mistakingly pulled the alarm while trying to pass through a door in the building that was usually kept open.

“It was a lapse of judgment if you will… wasn’t a conscious decision to do something wrong,” Bowman said in a quote obtained from Fox News. 

According to CNN, Bowman is set to appear in DC Superior Court on Thursday morning, at which point he’ll be booked, fingerprinted and processed on the misdemeanor charge. After striking a deal with the DC attorney general, any charges against him will be withdrawn in three months if he provides a formal apology to the US Capitol Police and pays a $1,000 fine.

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