Republicans turn up the heat on Capitol Police over Jamaal Bowman pulling fire alarm: 'One photograph is not enough'



House Republicans are demanding the Capitol Police release the all security footage of Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) pulling a fire alarm in the Cannon House Office Building.

After the scandal erupted last Saturday, Capitol Police released a single photo showing the moment Bowman activated the fire alarm, seemingly disproving his claim that he was attempting to open a door to exit the building.

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But House Republicans say more evidence needs to be released to know fully what happened. That request was submitted to Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger on Wednesday in the form of a letter from four House Republicans: Reps. Barry Moore (R-Ala.), Troy Nehls (R-Texas), Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.).

"In the the spirit of transparency, we ask that the security footage of the incident be released in its entirety," the lawmakers wrote.

"One photograph is not enough to determine the severity of this situation," they added. "American people deserve to know the extent of Congressman Bowman's conduct."

The lawmakers allege that Bowman may have broken two crimes: one District of Columbia statute and one federal statute.

The D.C. statute — DC §22-1319(a) — states, "It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to wilfully or knowingly give a false alarm of fire within the District of Columbia."

The federal statute — 18 US Code §15051505 — states:

Whoever corruptly, or by threats or force, or by any threatening letter or communication influences, obstructs, or impedes or endeavors to influence, obstruct, or impede the due and proper administration of the law under which any pending proceeding is being had before any department or agency of the United States, or the due and proper exercise of the power of inquiry under which any inquiry or investigation is being had by either House, or any committee of either House or any joint committee of the Congress—Shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years.

The lawmakers requested that the full security footage be made available by Oct. 6.

The Capitol Police last provided an update on the fire alarm scandal on Monday, saying the agency "continues to investigate the facts and circumstances" surrounding the incident.

Interestingly, the statement failed to identify Bowman as the person who activated the alarm, referring to the Democratic congressman as simply "a man."

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Capitol police chief fires back after US Attorney refuses to charge Stephen Colbert staffers arrested at Capitol office building



The United States Capitol Police revealed new details on Tuesday alleging Stephen Colbert's staffers repeatedly disobeyed instructions from Capitol police officers prior to their arrest.

The news came one day after the U.S. Attorney's office declined to charge the staffers, whom the Capitol police referred to as the "Colbert Nine."

What are the details?

Capitol police Chief J. Thomas Manger explained in a letter the production crew was arrested in the Longworth House Office Building after a staffer for Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) secured his office and called the USCP emergency phone number to report a disturbance outside the office next to Bowman's.

That office belonged to Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.).

"Do you remember me? Do you remember me?" a man with the production crew reportedly shouted outside Boebert's door. "It’s me. We’re going to leave something under your door."

A member of the production crew told responding officers they were credentialed press. However, none of the production crew had congressional press identification, neither were they accompanied by a congressional staff member, Manger explained. The group needed both to be in the building.

Even worse, the group had already been escorted out of different building, the Cannon House Office Building, earlier in the day when a Capitol police officer stopped the group for not having press credentials or a staff escort.

When officers confronted the production crew, group leader Jake Plunkett told officers they were in the building to film comedy skits for Colbert's show. They had planned to film outside the offices House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-Ga). The crew admitted they were "pretending to leave notes" under the office doors, but did not actually leave any.

"The note was allegedly an invitation to a cocaine orgy," Manger wrote.

Prior to the incident, the production crew applied for press credentials, but were denied. Plunkett, according to Manger, declined to appeal the decision because "he knew [the production crew] would not qualify qualify as press."

What about the DOJ's decision?

Manger condemned the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia for not criminally charging the production crew despite the ample evidence showing they broke the law.

"It is unfortunate that despite all of the evidence the Department presented, including that the group or its leader had been told several times that they could not be in the buildings without an escort, that the U.S. Attorney’s office declined to prosecute any members of the group for Unlawful Entry," Manger said.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia released a statement on Monday claiming prosecutors were not moving forward with the case because the evidence was not enough to secure convictions.

Manger's letter, however, calls into question that decision because the evidence shows the production crew knew they were not supposed to be inside the office building and even allegedly lied about being credentialed press.

TheBlaze has reached out to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia seeking a response to Manger's letter.