Democrat Rep. Jamal Bowman is facing accusations he purposefully pulled a fire alarm to disrupt House Republicans as they debated a stopgap bill to avert a government shutdown.

The New York representative was allegedly caught on camera pulling the stunt in the Cannon Building, which houses numerous Congressional office spaces.

‘I thought the alarm would open the door,’ Bowman told reporters about the incident.

‘I was rushing to make a vote, I was trying to get to a door.’

‘[Bowman] pulled a fire alarm in Cannon this morning,’ a spokesperson for the Congressional Administration Committee said. ‘An investigation into why it was pulled is underway.’

Bowman called the notion that he pulled the fire alarm to delay a vote ‘complete BS.’

Republicans, led by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, N.Y., are now working on a resolution to expel Bowman from Congress, and Capitol Police were circulating a photo of what appeared to be Bowman pulling the alarm.

Bowman’s antics led to an evacuation of the building, which came as House representatives were readying to vote on a bill that would avert a government shutdown less than 12 hours before a deadline.

The bill passed in a 335-91 vote, and now heads to the Senate. It will keep the government funded for 45 days.

Before the bill’s passing Democrats had been trying to delay the vote to give them time to read the text and make sure they could support it.

Ninety Republicans against the continuing resolution (CR) that extends government funding at 2023 levels beyond the midnight deadline. Only one Democrat – Rep. Mike Quigley, Ill., opposed it. He wanted it to include Ukraine funding.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy dared his conservative critics to try to oust him as they have long threatened in a press conference after the vote.

‘If somebody wants to make a motion against me, bring it,’ the speaker said. ‘There has to be an adult in the room.’

He also said there should be an Ethics Committee investigation into Bowman’s actions.

‘I’m going to have a discussion with the Democratic Leader about it, but this should not go without punishment.’

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., has long said that if McCarthy cut a deal with Democrats to get a CR across the floor he would launch a movement to oust him immediately.

Gaetz moved to speak on the House floor Saturday after the vote but the House adjourned until Monday – ensuring that any plan to bring forward a motion to vacate the speakership will have to wait until then.