In one of the dumbest things a member of the House has ever done, Rep. Jamaal Bowman pulled a fire alarm on Saturday in an apparent attempt to delay a vote in Congress. By doing so, he allegedly broke at least two laws, including a federal statute on obstructing a federal proceeding.
??NEW — Capitol Police are circulating this photo of a man pulling the fire alarm in Cannon. Looks a lot like Jamaal Bowman pic.twitter.com/khzpigSvWI
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) September 30, 2023
Bowman’s office responded by claiming that he didn’t realize pulling the alarm would set off an alarm. Apparently, we are supposed to believe that a former school principal is just ignorant of how fire alarms work.
No matter, though. Our pathetically biased mainstream press is already moving to cover for Bowman. NBC News actually garnered the lack of shame necessary to produce this headline and article.
Bowman’s office acknowledged he pulled the alarm, but suggested it was unintentional. https://t.co/7ry9zimuJz
— NBC News (@NBCNews) September 30, 2023
NBC News is taking a lot of liberty there. Bowman’s own explanation did not say that he pulled the alarm unintentionally. Rather, the excuse provided was that he thought it would open the door that was already open. Worse, nowhere in the above article is there any mention of the illegality of what was done. Apparently, one of the three legacy broadcast networks didn’t think that was important enough to mention.
Meanwhile, Capitol Hill reporters uncritically reported Bowman’s laughable claim.
Bowman tells reporters “I thought the alarm would open the door.”
— Juliegrace Brufke (@juliegraceb) September 30, 2023
Did any reporters push back on that? Did they ask why he was on video walking right up to the alarm and pulling it, not even trying to open a door prior? Of course, not. Instead, they are just regurgitating his nonsense without a second thought.
There there’s Axios, who decided to essentially turn Bowman into a martyr.
Already a martyr pic.twitter.com/yAFTxJiLsx
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) September 30, 2023
The House “scrambling” had nothing to do with Bowman’s actions. He wasn’t heroically trying to buy time to save the government. He was trying to stop the passage of a continuing resolution. Instead of that being the story, Axios goes with the “Republicans pounce” angle, noting that there are calls to expel Bowman.
Well, yeah, there are calls to expel him because he should be expelled. This is the same kind of nonsense that was pulled in Tennessee by three Democratic legislators. These partisans do not have the right to shut down a proceeding just because they don’t agree with it.
Can you imagine the wailing and gnashing of teeth that would be occurring if Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene had been the one who pulled the fire alarm? You wouldn’t be able to hear yourself think over all the screaming. Bowman is a Democrat, though, so the rules don’t apply.
