Donald Trump demanded that Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) be thrown in jail for triggering the fire alarm at a Congressional office building — arguing his action may have been worse than the former president’s supporters violently besieging to the U.S. Capitol.
“Will Congressman Jamal [sic] Bowman be prosecuted and imprisoned for very dangerously pulling and setting off the main fire alarm system in order to stop a Congressional vote that was going on in D.C.,” Trump posted on Sunday to Truth Social. “His egregious act is covered on tape, a horrible display of nerve and criminality. It was a very dangerous ‘Obstruction of an Official Proceeding,’ the same as used against our J-6 prisoners. Actually, his act may have been worse. HE MUST SUFFER THEIR SAME FATE. WHEN WILL HIS TRIAL BEGIN???”
Bowman set off a public uproar on Saturday when he triggered the fire alarm on a door at the the Cannon House Office while his fellow Democrats were trying to delay the vote for the bill to avert a government shutdown. The congressman admitted to activating the alarm, but denied trying to delay the vote, saying he was “mistakenly thinking it would open the door. I regret this and sincerely apologize for any confusion this caused.”
Bowman is facing an investigation over the incident while conservatives are moving to have him censured or expelled from Congress. Like Trump, Bowman’s critics are also trying to compare his actions to the January 6th Capitol riot.