Rep. Jamaal Bowman’s, D-N.Y., chief of staff confirmed that the congressman pulled a fire alarm in a congressional office building Saturday, and said that Bowman “regrets any confusion” over the incident.
The House Administration committee announced that an investigation into the situation, which happened in the Cannon Building, is underway. Sources also told Fox News that Bowman was questioned by the Capitol Police on Saturday.
The alarm-pulling happened the same afternoon as the stopgap spending bill vote, which was intended to avert a government shutdown. Bowman’s chief of staff, Sarah Iddrissu, offered an explanation.
“Congressman Bowman did not realize he would trigger a building alarm as he was rushing to make an urgent vote,” Iddrissu wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “The Congressman regrets any confusion.”
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According to Axios, Bowman told reporters that he thought the alarm would open the door. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) told Fox News that the situation was “absolutely outrageous” and “potentially criminal.”
“That any member of Congress would think it’s appropriate to pull a fire alarm to try and delay Congress from doing its business is shameful,” Lawler said. “It’s unbecoming. And he should strongly consider resigning from Congress if he did that.”
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy called the incident “serious” and said that Bowman should be investigated.
“This should not go without punishment,” McCarthy argued. “This is an embarrassment.”
Bowman explained that he was attempting to open a door when the alarm went off.
“I was just trying to get to my vote,” Bowman explained to reporters. “The door that’s usually open wasn’t open. And you know, I didn’t mean to cause confusion… I didn’t know I was going to trip the whole building. I thought it would help me open the door.”
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind, Chad Pergram, Houston Keene and Tyler Olson contributed to this report.