OCE Referral Regarding Rep. Jamaal Bowman

January 25, 2024

On December 11th, 2023, the Office of Congressional Ethics transmitted a referral to the Committee on Ethics of the United States House of Representatives regarding Rep. Jamaal Bowman.

Nature of the Review

Rep. Bowman may have willfully or knowingly given a false alarm of fire within the District of Columbia. If Rep. Bowman willfully or knowingly gave a false alarm of fire within the District of Columbia, then he may have violated House rules, District of Columbia law, or standards of conduct.

Rep. Bowman may have obstructed or attempted to impede an official House proceeding. If Rep. Bowman obstructed or attempted to impede an official House proceeding, then he may have violated House rules, federal law, or standards of conduct.

OCE Recommendation

The Board recommended that the Committee further review the above allegation concerning Rep. Bowman because there is substantial reason to believe that Rep. Bowman willfully or knowingly gave a false alarm of fire within the District of Columbia.

The Board recommended that the Committee dismiss the above allegation concerning Rep. Bowman because there is not substantial reason to believe that Rep. Bowman obstructed or attempted to impede an official House proceeding.

Committee Action

On January 25, 2024, the Committee on Ethics released the OCE's referral regarding Representative Bowman and announced it would not further review the allegation concerning Rep. Bowman citing the House’s intervening censure on December 7th.