The footage of "Squad" Democrat Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York pulling a fire alarm in a House office building was released Thursday after he accepted a plea deal on misdemeanor charges for the incident.
Fox News obtained security footage from Sept. 30 showing Bowman attempting to open two doors in the Cannon House Office Building.
Bowman appears to approach the doors and try the right door, taking a red alarm sign with him from the entryway.
JAMAAL BOWMAN PLEADS GUILTY IN DC COURT ARRAIGNMENT ON CHARGES FOR PULLING FIRE ALARM
The congressman then appeared to try to open the left door while knocking over the second alarm sign.
Bowman then turned and pulled the fire alarm before walking off camera still holding the alarm sign from the first door.
Bowman said that he did not mean to pull the fire alarm and that he had done so while in a rush to go vote. The House at the time was debating and voting on a stopgap bill to fund the government temporarily and avert a .
The "Squad" Democrat told reporters outside the D.C. Superior Court on Thursday that "Hell no" he didn't mean to pull the alarm.
"What I did was against D.C. law," Bowman said. "As I said from the very beginning, I was not trying to disrupt any congressional proceedings, I'm glad the investigation yielded that."
Bowman pulled the fire alarm ahead of a crucial vote as the GOP pushed a critical stopgap funding bill to avoid a government shutdown.
However, the newly released footage seems to throw water on his argument.
Users online blasted Bowman after the video's release, with Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Republican, quipping that this "is what lawyers would call 'intent.'"
"Why is this footage only coming to light now? We know he got his plea deal, but this is outrageous," Fox News contributor Tammy Bruce tweeted.
Former GOP Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker blasted Bowman as a "bold-faced liar" and called for the congressman to face jail time in a tweet on Thursday.
"This is not a brain freeze. Not an accident," Walker wrote. "This was a premeditated attempt to stop other Members of Congress from voting."
"This is a federal crime and there must be consequences for his actions," Walker continued. "The tapes reveal the truth. Time for him to go to jail."
Other users noted that Bowman did not attempt to open the doors after pulling the fire alarm.
Bowman's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Bowman, 47, turned himself in to D.C. Superior Court on Thursday morning ahead of his arraignment. He pleaded guilty to causing the false alarm.
As part of his plea deal, Bowman is required to write a letter of apology to the U.S. Capitol Police and pay a $1,000 fine.
Fox News Digital's Tyler Olson and Jake Gibson contributed reporting.
source https://www.foxnews.com/politics/jamaal-bowman-fire-alarm-footage-released-plea-deal
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