Democratic Representative Jamaal Bowman, who represents southern Westchester County and a section of The Bronx, is currently confronted with a challenging primary race. Bowman is considered a radical socialist.
Regardless of your opinion on his opponent, fellow Democrat George Latimer, it is undeniable that Bowman deserves all the criticism he receives. He has proven himself to be exceptionally inept.
In the June 2020 primary, Bowman emerged victorious over his predecessor Eliot Engel amidst the George Floyd riots and the fervor surrounding the “Defund the Police” movement. During this time, Bowman celebrated and magnified the movement, expressing his support. He made the puzzling claim that only 5% of policing is dedicated to addressing violent crime, implying that the remaining 95% could be effectively handled by other agencies.
Cities that embraced the defund agenda quickly realized the negative consequences of their actions. Crime rates skyrocketed, prompting many of these cities to reverse course and allocate more funding to their law enforcement agencies.
Before entering politics, Bowman served as a school principal, and he has taken up the cause of ending the so-called “school-to-prison pipeline” as one of his primary concerns. He believes that the root of this issue lies in discipline practices that are racially biased and result in the mistreatment of black children, perpetuating a harmful cycle of punishment.
The Biden administration has once again emphasized the importance of school districts monitoring racial disparities in disciplinary actions, echoing the warnings of President Barack Obama. However, despite these efforts, schools are now experiencing higher levels of disorderliness than ever before. In fact, New York City schools have witnessed a significant 30% increase in “safety incidents” over the past five years.
The pandemic is being blamed by The New York Times, but it is clear that the decrease in school-discipline standards is the main cause.
In September, Bowman found himself involved in a “safety incident” during a House debate on funding government operations. Security footage captured Bowman pulling a fire alarm in the Cannon House Office Building, leading to an evacuation and a delay in voting on the measure.
During the incident, the congressman made a rather far-fetched statement, suggesting that he activated the alarm due to his urgent need to attend a vote. He explained that he encountered a closed door, which is typically open during voting sessions, and mistakenly believed that triggering the alarm would grant him access.
Bowman’s statements were completely disconnected from reality. Contrary to what he claimed, he was not heading towards a vote. In fact, just before he pulled the alarm, he deliberately took down the signs that indicated the door as an emergency exit. Furthermore, after triggering the alarm, he simply turned around and briskly walked away in the opposite direction, without even bothering to check if the door would open.
Bowman’s stunt had a clear intention of delaying the House vote. It was an effort to disrupt the proceedings of the government. If he were a Republican or an ordinary citizen, he would probably have faced charges of sedition in federal court, with a potential lengthy prison sentence.
Bowman pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, paid a small fine, and received censure from the House in a strictly partisan vote with no Democrats in favor. He has since made light of the incident, jokingly tweeting “Sound the alarm” when his colleague George Santos was indicted.
Bowman’s constituents have become increasingly concerned about his strong criticisms of Israel, which he refers to as “an apartheid state.”
Jamaal Bowman has a track record of dishonesty and denying the existence of war crimes, aside from advocating for questionable policy ideas. The responsibility lies with the Democrats of Westchester and The Bronx to determine if he is the right candidate to represent them in Washington.
Seth Barron holds the position of managing editor at The American Mind.