The House voted mostly along party lines to formally reprimand Rep. Jamaal Bowman over triggering a fire alarm last September, the latest episode of the GOP’s censure ire.
The measure passed by a 214-191-5 vote. Bowman (D-N.Y.) is the third Democrat that Republicans have voted to censure this year. Three Democrats from purple districts voted for the censure: Reps. Jahana Hayes (Conn.), Chris Pappas (N.H.) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Wash.).
“This is an insult to the people I was elected to represent,” Bowman said Wednesday evening on the House floor. “Instead of passing meaningful legislation, some Republicans are using this to waste our time and money and to make you forget about all of the rights they want to destroy.”
Following the vote, Bowman stood in the well of the House to receive the formal reprimand, surrounded by members of the caucus from across the ideological spectrum. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) shouted at Republicans in the chamber: “You’ve got to fund the government!”
Democratic leadership and Bowman’s progressive allies had all lined up on the House floor Wednesday evening to defend him against the motion, slamming it as a waste of time. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries derided it as “fake, fraudulent and fictitious.”
Bowman already pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for pulling the fire alarm in a House office building during a chaotic vote on government funding at the end of September. The lawmaker had also agreed to pay the maximum fine, but some House Republicans who’d been incensed by Bowman’s actions demanded further punishment. Some on the right have charged that Bowman triggered the alarm to obstruct or delay the House proceedings that day, though he’s maintained he did not intentionally set off the alarm.
The House Ethics Committee, which is evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, had also declined to take any further action on Bowman.
Censures have become more common practice in the House in recent years. Earlier this term, Republicans also moved to punish Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) for his handling of investigations into former President Donald Trump and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) over her outspoken criticism of the Israeli government.
The censure comes at a time of some political vulnerability for the New York Democrat. Westchester County Executive George Latimer kicked off a primary challenge against Bowman earlier in the week in what is expected to be a hotly contested race.
