Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) condemned the use of the word “Nazi” in a list of talking points sent to Democratic colleagues Monday amid a GOP push to punish Bowman for pulling a fire alarm before Saturday’s House vote on a measure to fund the government.
“I just became aware that in our messaging guidance, there was inappropriate use of the term Nazi without my consent,” Bowman wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I condemn the use of the term Nazi out of its precise definition. It is important to specify the term Nazi to refer to members of the Nazi party and neo-Nazis.”
In the memo obtained by Politico Monday, Bowman’s office suggested several talking points his Democratic colleagues could use to defend the lawmaker, including one that targets what the office claimed are Nazi members of the Republican Party.
The suggestion was written as, “I believe Congressman Bowman when he says this was an accident. Republicans need to instead focus their energy on the Nazi members of their party before anything else.”
The memo comes as some GOP members have accused Bowman of intentionally trying to stop the high-stakes vote. Bowman pulled a fire alarm in the Cannon House Office Building ahead of the midnight deadline to pass a measure to fund the government.
The fire alarm forced a temporary evacuation of the building, though House members eventually returned and voted on the bill.
Bowman has maintained his pulling of the fire alarm was an accident as he rushed to vote on the last-minute stopgap measure rolled out by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) earlier in the day.
“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. 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,” Bowman said in a statement Saturday.
“But I want to be very clear, this was not me, in any way, trying to delay any vote. It was the exact opposite — I was trying urgently to get to a vote, which I ultimately did and joined my colleagues in a bipartisan effort to keep our government open,” he continued.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) said Monday that she plans to introduce a resolution to expel Bowman, while House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) said Saturday he will launch an investigation into the incident.
U.S. Capitol Police said Monday it continues to investigate the incident, which it said took place at about 12:05 p.m. Saturday.
Police did not identify Bowman in its update Monday but said “a man was seen trying to exit the door in the Cannon Building and then pulling the fire alarm that prompted the evacuation.”
The police also noted officers “had previously placed signs with clear language that explained the door was secured and marked as an emergency exit only.”
The Hill has reached out to Bowman’s office for comment.