New York Lawmaker Introduces Resolution to Expel Fellow NY Rep. Bowman over Fire Alarm

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., introduced a resolution on Monday to expel from the House a Democrat in her delegation who pulled a fire alarm in the Capitol complex over the weekend. 

Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., was caught on security footage pulling a fire alarm Saturday in a House office building adjacent to the Capitol, forcing an evacuation as Capitol police investigated the incident. 

Bowman is unlikely to be expelled, however. The threshold to remove him from Congress requires a two-thirds vote of the House, which is narrowly divided in favor of Republicans. 

Bowman’s office has reportedly circulated talking points for House Democrats to use to defend him. The list includes nine different responses, links to four social media posts Democrats can directly respond to and a “[g]reat article to pull from” about the incident. 

“House Republicans are obviously trying to distract from the fact they cannot govern and that they nearly shut down the federal government for no reason,” one talking point suggests.

The alarm that former middle school principal triggered had no effect on proceedings in the House but came as Democrats sought to delay a weekend vote on a bipartisan bill to fund the government after GOP leaders denied their request for 90 minutes to read the legislation. 

The bill ultimately passed overwhelmingly in the House and Senate, averting a government shutdown. But Republicans have said Bowman should be held accountable for his actions, which he framed as an honest mistake.

“We’ve dropped the resolution with twelve cosponsors, and we will continue to add more throughout the day,” Malliotakis, R-N.Y., said in a statement. “Mr. Bowman’s juvenile actions violated both federal and local law and he must be held accountable.”

In a statement Saturday, Bowman said he was rushing to vote when he came across a door that wouldn’t open. The door, he said, was usually open during votes. 

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

“But I want to be very clear, this was not me, in any way, trying to delay any vote,” he continued. “It was the exact opposite — I was trying urgently to get to a vote, which I ultimately did and joined my colleagues in a bipartisan effort to keep our government open.”

Bowman has since met with the Sergeant at Arms and Capitol Police. The GOP-controlled House Administration Committee separately is investigating the incident.

“My hope is that no one will make more of this than it was,” he said. 

Cosponsors to Malliotakis’ expulsion resolution include: GOP Reps. Carol Miller of West Virginia; Marjorie Taylor Greene, Mike Collins and Austin Scott of Georgia; Tony Gonzales, Randy Weber and Troy Nehls of Texas; Mary Miller of Illinois; Gary Palmer and Barry Moore of Alabama; Matt Rosendale of Montana; and Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma.

Bowman’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Stephen Neukam and Warren Rojas contributed reporting.