House Ethics Committee Will Not Investigate Rep. Jamaal Bowman For Pulling Fire Alarm

The House Ethics Committee will not investigate Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) for pulling a fire alarm in a House office building in September.

The panel — made up of an equal number of Republicans and Democrats — said a majority of the committee did not agree to establish an investigative subcommittee in a statement on Wednesday. The body is required to decide on a course of action within 30 days of a lawmaker being indicted or formally charged with criminal conduct.

Bowman pleaded guilty last month to one charge of falsely sounding a fire alarm and agreed to pay the maximum fine of $1,000. The lawmaker pulled the alarm in the Cannon House Office Building just before a vote on a stopgap measure to fund the government.

Republicans accused the Democrat of doing so to delay the vote itself, but Bowman insisted he pulled the alarm by mistake, thinking it would open an emergency exit door. He was caught on camera attempting to open the door before he pulled the alarm.

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