The View Co-Hosts Twist Themselves in Knots to Defend Jamaal Bowman Amid Fire Alarm Furor

The View co-hosts put forth a couple of theories for why Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) allegedly pulled a fire alarm to delay the House vote preventing a government shutdown. They ranged from needing more time to read through the bill to just being able to get to the House floor on time.

“So, Democratic House member allegedly pulled a fire alarm,” said Alyssa Farah Griffin. “He claims that it was because he was trying to get to the House floor. The pictures seem to suggest otherwise. I think it was because the CR (continuing resolution) came out and he wanted more time to read the bill. But, rather again than Congress passing a bill that would allow for him to have more time to read it, he literally pulled the fire alarm.”

Bowman claimed it was an accident:

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.

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.

Former President Donald Trump called for Bowman to be “prosecuted and imprisoned” for trying to delay the House vote. Ana Navarro said Bowman perpetrated an “infantile stunt,” but said it was ridiculous for MAGA Republicans to compare his actions to Jan. 6.

“I don’t want to call it a stunt yet,” Sunny Hostin interjected.  “There’s going to be an investigation. I know, Jamaal. And so, again, I’m a little biased, but the doors that are normally open so that he could get to the chambers to read were somehow miraculously closed. How did that happen? And so, yes, sometimes you’re freaking out and you’re in an elevator and you’re pressing all the buttons.”

“It goes to them not having the time,” Whoopi Goldberg agreed. “It’s quite possible that he was trying to get there and the door…if you’re not looking down because it’s a door that’s normally open, you just go and you press a button.”

Watch the clip above via ABC.

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