Congressman Jamaal Bowman has been censured by the House of Representatives for illegally pulling a fire alarm in a Congressional office building on September 30 while he was hurrying to a key vote. He was later charged with a misdemeanor and pleaded guilty.  

Mr. Bowman, who is a member of the so-called “Squad,” pulled the fire alarm as the House was debating a continuing resolution that was meant to keep the government open until November 17 — a bill that later passed. 

“Representative Jamaal Bowman of New York knowingly pulled a fire alarm to cause chaos and stop the House from doing its business,” the censure resolution’s sponsor, Republican Congresswoman Lisa McClain, said during a debate on the censure resolution. “As a former principal of the Cornerstone Academy for Social Action in New York City, Mr. Bowman should know the consequences for pulling a fire alarm to cause panic.”

Before his election to Congress, Mr. Bowman for many years led the middle school he founded at a poor section of the Bronx.

The congressman defended himself from accusations by Ms. McClain and others that when he pulled the fire alarm, he was purposefully trying to stall the vote in September. “My constituents know I will always continue to fight for them,” Mr. Bowman said. “Just over two months ago, I was rushing to the Capitol to vote and prevent a Republican shutdown. When I tried to exit a door that I usually go through, it didn’t open, and due to confusion and rush to go vote, I pulled the fire alarm. I immediately took responsibility and accountability for my actions and pled guilty.”

The House passed the censure resolution 214–191, with three Democrats voting with all Republicans. Five members — four Democrats and one Republican — voted present. 

One of the Democrats who voted to censure her colleague, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, explained that she could not stand by following Mr. Bowman’s actions because of a tragedy in her hometown when two firefighters were killed in a crash as they responded to a reported fire — a report that later turned out to be a false alarm. 

“I have spent the better part of the last decade, working with the families of those firefighters and the Waterbury [Connecticut] community, to honor their memory and educate our children on the work of first responders,” she said in a statement. “While there may be some who do not understand this vote, I cannot set an example for these children by saying one thing to them and doing another — and party affiliation should not matter.”

Another Democrat who voted yes, Congressman Chris Pappas, said, “At the end of the day, Representative Bowman broke the law when he pulled the fire alarm during House proceedings and has since pleaded guilty. The resolution was a straightforward condemnation of his actions, and I voted yes.”

On Wednesday, a Westchester County Executive, George Latimer, announced he will challenge Mr. Bowman for the Democratic nomination. In addition to his fire alarm scandal, Mr. Bowman has also come under heavy fire for a series of anti-Israel statements he has made, as well as for his refusal to support a House resolution supporting Israel and condemning Hamas in the wake of the October 7 attacks. Mr. Latimer is expected to get substantial financial support from the America-Israel Public Affairs Committee, which is planning to spend $100 million in this election cycle to depose anti-Israel lawmakers such as Mr. Bowman.