On Saturday, a man committed a crime in an attempt to obstruct Congress from considering a funding bill. Was this another “MAGA” activist of the kind pursued by the Department of Justice for the last two-plus years? No. It was Jamaal Bowman, Democrat congressman from New York, who pulled a clearly labeled fire alarm as his party complained about a rushed vote. 

Given the security risks involved, a large emergency response ensued, costing taxpayers thousands of dollars—but giving Democrats a little more time to caucus ahead of the vote.

This is almost literally yelling fire in a crowded theater. It’s a crime in DC that carries a potential six-month sentence. More importantly, it was a crime intended to obstruct Congress. Democrats have demanded severe punishment for Americans involved in the January 6 riot for the same action. 

Equal justice demands prosecution of Bowman for his criminal conduct. The House must also expel Bowman as a lesson to others. If they don’t, we’ll normalize and incentivize future fire-alarm stunts in highly charged debates.