Rep. Jamaal Bowman cleared by ethics panel over fire alarm as criticism of Israel fuels possible primary challenge

NEW YORK — Rep. Jamaal Bowman on Wednesday was cleared by a congressional ethics panel of pulling a Capitol Hill fire alarm even as his criticism of Israel fuels a looming Democratic primary challenge in his Westchester County, New York, district.

The House ethics panel declined to open any probe into the caught-on-video fire alarm incident, which took place during a chaotic vote on a stopgap spending bill to keep the government open in September.

Bowman already pleaded guilty to a minor criminal misdemeanor charge and agreed to pay a fine after being charged by Capitol Police in the incident.

The two-term former Bronx middle school principal insists he didn’t mean to trigger the alarm and was not trying to delay or disrupt the vote. Republicans dispute Bowman’s account and the video appears to show him intentionally pulling the alarm.

The ethics decision came as Bowman has renewed his controversial sharp criticism of Israel amid the war with Hamas launched after the Oct. 7 terror attacks.

In a new interview, the progressive congressman called on Israel to end the fighting in Gaza and said Americans should focus on pushing Israel to negotiate an independent Palestinian state.

“We’ve been saying for so long that we (support) Israel’s right to defend itself and self-determination. But we haven’t been saying the same thing about Palestinians,” Bowman said on MSNBC late Tuesday. “Israel’s safety and security is directly connected to Palestinian freedom, safety, and security.”

Bowman accused Israel of refusing to take any steps towards a two-state solution to the conflict, which would require the Jewish state to negotiate an independent Palestinian land on the West Bank and Gaza.

He compared the situation in the West Bank to Jim Crow segregation in the American South and said he was barred from going through an Israeli checkpoint because he isn’t Jewish during a fact-finding trip with fellow lawmakers.

The claim drew fiery criticism from some Jews and supporters of Israel, who accused Bowman of lying.

“Jewish checkpoints are as fictional as Jewish space lasers,” tweeted fellow Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., a fierce backer of Israel.

But the leader of the liberal Jewish group that sponsored the trip said Torres is the one who is confused.

“It’s a fact: there are checkpoints (separating) who can walk where by religion. Other checkpoints keep roads ‘sterile’ of Palestinians,” tweeted Jeremy Ben-Ami of J Street.

Bowman’s position on Israel, along with his position on the far left flank of the Democratic congressional caucus, has fueled talk of a potential primary challenge by Westchester County Executive George Latimer.

Latimer, a popular two-term incumbent, is journeying to Israel Sunday for a solidarity trip with other local lawmakers sponsored by the Westchester Jewish Council.

“I think we need to show more empathy and understanding for what the Jewish community is going through,” Latimer told the News, without mentioning Bowman by name. “This was a really heinous terrorist attack and it’s an important time to stand behind Israel.”

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is already running anti-Bowman ads in the heavily Democratic district, which includes most of the southern part of the county and the cities of Mount Vernon and Yonkers along with a slice of the Bronx.

Latimer said he would make a decision about running for Congress in early December.

“If I do run, I wouldn’t be running against an individual,” he said. “I have a very progressive record on a lot of issues.”

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