On Thursday, reports surfaced that Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) had been charged in the fire alarm scandal at the Capitol.
Bowman said he was taking a plea deal, paying a fine, and moving on, but now new video footage has surfaced that appears to contradict everything he has said to this point.
Bowman has maintained that this was nothing but an accident.
When he was interviewed after the fire alarm was pulled, he stated:
"I don't know why this has gotten so much attention. I was literally just in a rush to go vote, man! That's all it was!"
Democrat Rep. Jamaal Bowman says he still stands by his statement that he pulled the fire alarm in the Capitol complex by accident:
"I don't know why this has gotten so much attention. I was literally just in a rush to go vote, man! That's all it was!" pic.twitter.com/Lq38tL90J8
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 2, 2023
Bowman took a plea deal after charges were filed, agreeing to pay a $1,000 fine and write a letter of apology.
He further stated:
"What I did was against D.C. law. As I said from the very beginning, I was not trying to disrupt any congressional proceedings, I'm glad the investigation yielded that."
Up until now, all that was available to the public was an edited version and still photos of Bowman pulling the alarm.
What was evident was that Bowman had something in his hands when he pulled the alarm, but we could not tell what.
As it turns out, what he had in his hands proves his intent and that this was no accident.
Before pulling the alarm, Bowman walked up to the doors, did not even try them, removed the warning signs from the doors, then pulled the alarm and walked away.
This was no accident… it was clear intent, as Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) pointed out…
This is what lawyers would call “intent” https://t.co/1WehfU6XfG
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) October 26, 2023
Now, I don't know who the investigator was in this case, but if Bowman's statement that the investigation concluded he had no intent of disrupting House proceedings is true, that investigator needs to be fired.
Even Republican Wisconsin Scott Walker had to comment after seeing the video, stating:
"This is not a brain freeze. Not an accident. This was a premeditated attempt to stop other Members of Congress from voting.
"This is a federal crime and there must be consequences for his actions. The tapes reveal the truth. Time for him to go to jail."
Now, I don't know about you guys, but I am sick and tired of a two-tiered justice system and politicians who lie to our faces and get away with it.
Bowman has been playing this off as an accident from day one, but that video proves disrupting the House proceedings was precisely what he intended to do.
Furthermore, why was this video not made public until AFTER he had a plea deal locked in? What prosecutor or judge would allow that deal after seeing this?
I know some people are saying it was only a pulled fire alarm, but you have to consider the context of who did it, the intent, and why it was done. This was not some kid pulling a prank but a member of Congress interfering in a formal session.
Then he lied to the American people about what he did… and all it costs him is $1,000 and an insincere letter apologizing to the Capitol Police.
How are the American people ever supposed to trust our justice system and politicians when they act so childish and are not held accountable?
Bowman is making a mockery of his position, and he does not deserve to represent the American people in Congress.
