By Julia Johnson, Washington Examiner
The House Committee on Ethics announced Wednesday it will not be investigating a September incident in which Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) pulled a Capitol building fire alarm as Democratic lawmakers attempted to stall a vote.
According to a press release, there was not a majority on the committee to create an investigative subcommittee and subsequent report on Bowman’s conduct. The panel is split evenly between Republicans and Democrats.
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The statement from both Chairman Michael Guest (R-MS) and ranking member Susan Wild (D-PA) noted Bowman had been charged with a misdemeanor for “making a false alarm of fire.”
As per House rules, the committee is required to establish an investigation within 30 days of a representative being charged with a crime or explain its decision not to investigate.
Other committee members include Reps. David Joyce (R-OH), John Rutherford (R-FL), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Deborah Ross (D-NC), and Glenn Ivey (D-MD).
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Last month, Bowman pleaded guilty at Washington, D.C.’s Superior Court to one count of falsely pulling the alarm, which was part of an agreement with prosecutors for deferred prosecution. The congressman agreed to pay a $1,000 fine in addition to writing an apology letter to the U.S. Capitol Police chief.
In exchange, the charge against him will be dismissed at the end of three months, so long as he doesn’t break any laws in the meantime.
