Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman sent out a list of talking points for his colleagues Monday blaming “MAGA” Republicans after he pulled a fire alarm as the House of Representatives was in the process of approving a spending bill to avoid a government shutdown, according to a memo.
Republicans called for Bowman’s impeachment after he was caught on camera hitting a fire alarm during a crucial vote on a funding package Saturday, despite his claims that it was an accident. Bowman’s office distributed a memo to fellow Democrats, with suggested talking points on the “extreme reach” of “MAGA Republicans” and the “Nazi members” of the GOP, according to the document.
“I believe Congressman Bowman when he says this was an accident,” one of the prompts reads. “Republicans need to instead focus their energy on the Nazi members of their party before anything else.”
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The memo was first reported by Politico.
Another talking point claimed that there are “multiple insurrectionist supporters in Congress” and that focus on Bowman was designed to “minimize January 6th,” according to the memo. Several points blamed the GOP for trying to “distract from the fact” that they almost “shut down the federal government for no reason.”
Bowman argued in a statement Saturday that the signs for the doors leading to the House floor had confused him, leading to him flipping the wrong switch. The signs in question read “Emergency Exit Only” and “Push Until Alarm Sounds.”
“Today as I was rushing to make a vote, I came to a door that is usually open for votes but today would not open,” Bowman said. “I am embarrassed to admit that I activated the fire alarm, mistakenly thinking it would open the door. I regret this and sincerely apologize for any confusion this caused,” he continued.
In the District of Columbia, it is illegal for any individual to “willfully or knowingly give a false alarm of fire,” according to district law. As a result, Bowman could potentially face a misdemeanor charge and be sentenced to up to six months in prison with a fine of no more than $100.
Bowman’s office encouraged Democrats to argue that the “last minute votes caused by Republican incompetence and surprise bill drop” had left the exist understaffed and “made it even more confusing,” according to the memo. Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York, however, said she was in the process of trying to get Bowman expelled for his behavior and Speaker of the House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California called the incident a “new low” for the Democratic party.
Bowman did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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