House censures Rep. Jamaal Bowman for falsely pulling fire alarm
The House voted Thursday to censure Democrat Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York for falsely pulling a fire alarm in a House office building in September.
The final vote was 214-191 with five members voting present. Three Democrats voted with Republicans to censure Bowman.
After the vote, Bowman stood in the well of the House surrounded by a large group of Democrats who hugged him in support.
MORE: House advances GOP resolution to censure Democratic Rep. Bowman over pulling fire alarm
The New York congressman was caught on video pulling the fire alarm in the Cannon House Office Building on Sept. 30 -- the day the House voted on funding the government. He later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for falsely triggering the alarm.
Thursday vote happened after a Democratic motion to table -- or kill -- the censure resolution failed by a vote of 201-216 Wednesday evening.
Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., introduced the censure resolution as privileged on Tuesday -- giving the House two legislative days to vote on it.
Bowman is the fifth House member censured in the 21st century, joining Reps. Charles Rangel, Paul Gosar, Adam Schiff and -- most recently -- Rashida Tlaib. Three of these censures have happened in 2023 under this GOP majority. Bowman would become the 27th House member censured in U.S. history, according to the Office of the House Historian.
Historically, censuring a House member is rare, but has been more recently used as a political tool.
MORE: Pro-Israel Democrat to challenge US Rep. Jamaal Bowman in primary race next year
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said Thursday that Republicans are using tactics such as censuring to distract from bigger issues the party is facing -- including their decreasing majority.
"They want to hide their extreme right-wing agenda from the American people. And that's why we continue to see censure resolution after censure resolution being brought to the floor. And next week, we're going to waste time on an illegitimate impeachment inquiry targeting President Biden and his family."
During fiery House floor debate on the censure resolution Wednesday evening, Jeffries defended Bowman and said the House is "wasting time talking about fire alarms."
Jeffries even dared House Republicans to censure him.
"Going after Democrats repeatedly week after week after week, because you have nothing better to do -- then I volunteer. Censure me next. Censure me next. That's how worthless your censure effort is. It has no credibility, no integrity, no legitimacy. Censure me next. And I'll take that censure and I'll wear it -- next week, next month, next year -- like a badge of honor," Jeffries said.
House censures Rep. Jamaal Bowman for falsely pulling fire alarm originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
