(Ben Sellers, Headline USA) As House members’ negotiations on funding the federal government predictably came down to an 11th-hour vote in which Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., opted to rely on Democrats—jeopardizing his future leadership role—it was not Republicans who tried to derail the deal, forcing a government shutdown, but a radical Squad member.
Ripping a page straight from high school, Rep. Jamaal Bowman—the purile New York leftist notorious for his bombastic rhetoric on the House floor and for getting into actual altercations with colleagues on the steps of the U.S. Capitol—appeared to have pulled a fire alarm to delay the vote past its deadline.
BREAKING: Capitol police release photo of Jamaal Bowman pulling the fire alarm. pic.twitter.com/XpUoEu9lU4
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) September 30, 2023
Several experts on Twitter pointed out that, in doing so, Bowman likely committed obstruction of Congress—the same felony charge that Justice Department prosecutors have attempted to pin on hundreds of Jan. 6 political dissidents who toured the Capitol during the Joint Session to certify the votes of the Electoral College in the 2020 election.
This is the "obstruction of an official proceeding" and Bowman should be arrested and prosecuted immediately.
These are the rules, right? https://t.co/DRi1tzg8Xz
— Monica Crowley (@MonicaCrowley) September 30, 2023
According to Politico, the charge carries a maximum 20 year sentence and hinges on whether the individual was proceeding with “corrupt intent”—which clearly seems to have been the case based on evidence. Although Bowman claims it was an accident, footage suggest otherwise.
Jamal Bowman was a high school principal. Dude literally conducted fire drills in his old job. He knew damn well what pulling a fire alarm would do.
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) September 30, 2023
The incident, which briefly forced an evacuation, is currently under investigation by U.S. Capitol Police, the same force who committed and then covered up the homicide of Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt by Lt. Michael Byrd.
McCarthy noted the connection between Bowman’s actions and those of the Jan. 6 protesters but stopped short of calling it obstruction.
“When you think about how other people were treated when they come in and wanted to change the course of what was happening in the building,” such actions should be taken “seriously,” he said, according to NBC News.
“This should not go without punishment,” he added. “I’m gonna have a discussion with the Democratic leader about it. But this should not go without punishment. This is an embarrassment.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. was unlikely to hold Bowman accountable any more than Democrats have held President Joe Biden accountable for his corruption in the face of overwhelming evidence that shows he took bribes in connection with his son’s foreign business deals.
Democrats have instead chosen to insist that there is no such evidence whatsoever and may, likewise, try to deny that there is any photographic evidence showing Bowman pulling the fire alarm.
“Until I see the video, I have no further comment,” Jeffries said Saturday.
Ben Sellers is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/realbensellers.
