US House Censure Congressman Jamaal Bowman
House Votes Along Party Lines to Censure Bowman
Washington, D.C. - The Republican-led House voted Thursday to censure Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York for pulling a fire alarm in a House office building. The vote was largely along party lines, with 219 Republicans voting in favor of the resolution and 207 Democrats voting against it.
The resolution, sponsored by Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.), accuses Bowman of "conduct unbecoming to a Member of Congress" and "grossly neglectful discharge of his duties." It says that Bowman's actions "undermined the security of the House of Representatives" and "created an unnecessary panic among the House staff and visitors."
Bowman Accused of Falsely Pulling Fire Alarm
Bowman was accused of pulling the fire alarm on September 29, 2021, during a closed-door meeting of the House Education and Labor Committee. The alarm forced the evacuation of the building and caused a brief disruption to the meeting.
Bowman has denied the accusation, saying that he did not intentionally pull the fire alarm. He said that he was trying to open a window in the meeting room when he accidentally knocked into the fire alarm pull station.
Bowman Censure a Symbolic Punishment
The censure is a symbolic punishment that does not carry any legal consequences. It is the first time that a member of Congress has been censured since 2010, when then-Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) was censured for tax violations.
The censure of Bowman is the latest in a series of partisan clashes between Democrats and Republicans in the House. The two parties have been at odds over a number of issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy, and immigration.
The censure of Bowman is a reminder of the deep divisions that exist in American politics today. It is also a sign of the growing partisanship that has come to define the House of Representatives.
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