OPINION:
A Democratic member of Congress intentionally set off a fire alarm on Capitol Hill that resulted in the evacuation of an entire building and the arrival of both law enforcement officers and firefighters (“Rep. Jamaal Bowman to plead guilty to setting off fire alarm in Capitol complex,” web, Oct. 25).
Even avid Democrats could not possibly believe Mr. Bowman’s explanation: that he thought the red fire-alarm box (with “fire alarm” written on it) was a button to open the door in front of him.
It sure seems clear to me that Mr. Bowman was trying to interfere with an upcoming vote in the House — or, put another way, “obstruct of an official proceeding.”
More than 294 Jan. 6 defendants were charged with precisely that crime, a felony with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. And many of them were arrested and thrown into solitary confinement without access to lawyers or even doctors, and later received substantial jail time.
So in which jail is Mr. Bowman residing? Of course, none. Instead, he is getting a slap on the wrist with a feather: a $1,000 fine, three months’ probation and a withdrawal of the charge once he has “successfully” completed his “punishment.” And just this week he still insisted he pulled the fire alarm by mistake.
Democrats wonder why so many of us on the political right rail about a two-tiered justice system, with hardly any accountability at all for Democrats and such grave punishments doled out to Republicans — even when no real crime has been committed.
BOB SEGAL
Burke, Virginia
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