Jamaal Bowman, a Democrat, denies intentionally causing a fire alarm disruption to delay spending vote

An investigation has been initiated after a congressman from the US House of Representatives triggered a fire alarm while his party was attempting to postpone a crucial budget vote on Saturday. Jamaal Bowman, a Democrat from New York, claims it was an unintended occurrence. However, his opponents have accused him of deliberately disrupting the vote aimed at preventing a US federal government shutdown. The alarm caused a one-hour evacuation, but an agreement was eventually reached to avert the shutdown. The alarm went off when Democrats were seeking to delay the vote in order to have more time to review the bill and determine whether to support it. In a statement, Mr. Bowman admitted to mistakenly activating the fire alarm while trying to access a door that is typically open for votes but was locked on that occasion. He clarified that his intention was not to delay the vote, but rather to urgently reach it. Republicans, on the other hand, have accused him of intentionally sabotaging the vote. The Republican House Speaker announced that an investigation was underway, and likened the incident to actions taken by individuals who were charged for their involvement in the US Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. Ultimately, the bill was signed into law by President Joe Biden before the midnight deadline, ensuring government funding until November 17. The proposal was introduced by Mr. McCarthy in an effort to quell a rebellion within his own party. Failure to keep the government open would have resulted in delayed salaries for millions of federal employees and military personnel.