Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) today introduced a privileged resolution to censure Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) over a September fire alarm incident.
Bowman was charged with pulling the fire alarm in the Cannon Building before a budget vote on the House floor.
In October it was reported that Bowman plans to plead guilty to the charge, although he continues to attempt to maintain his innocence.
As part of his guilty plea, Bowman also had to issue a formal apology to the Capitol police and pay the maximum.
Bowman claims that he believed that the fire alarm was instead something he needed to pull to open the door that was next to it.
McClain shared her resolution in a post on X and said, “Today, I introduced a PRIVILEGED RESOLUTION to censure Representative Bowman for knowingly causing a false alarm of a fire while the House worked to avert a government shutdown.”
“Nobody is above the law, Congressmen included,” McClain declared.
As The Hill reported, a privileged resolution is a procedural maneuver that forces leadership to take action on the measure within two legislative days.
A censure of Bowman requires a majority vote in the chamber, however, The Hill noted that Democrats will likely motion to table the measure or refer it to a committee which, if successful through a majority vote, would shield the chamber from having to weigh in on the matter directly.
In November, the House Ethics Committee voted against opening an investigation
Today, I introduced a PRIVILEGED RESOLUTION to censure Representative Bowman for knowingly causing a false alarm of a fire while the House worked to avert a government shutdown.
Nobody is above the law, Congressmen included.
It’s A start!