One of the things that's interesting about Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) pulling the fire alarm in the House Cannon office building is watching who will bend over backward to defend his actions. Who is willing to be such a bootlicker or so debase themselves that they will actually try to justify such an idiotic action? 

We saw some fun spin by an MSNBC host as she tried to downplay it as much as she could in the immediate aftermath. 

We saw Bowman himself issue a statement that was hard to believe, and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) had a few things to say about that. 

But for the full-throated, most ludicrous defense, here comes Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Bowman's fellow socialist Squad member. 

Jake Tapper interviewed her on CNN Sunday and cut right to the chase. Tapper went through Bowman's explanation about saying he pulled the fire alarm thinking that it would open the door that he was simply trying to get through. "He said it was an accident. He thought pulling the alarm would open a door," Tapper said. "I'll be honest, it doesn't really make sense to me."

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) talks to CNN's @jaketapper about Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) pulling the fire alarm shortly before the House was scheduled to vote on a government funding bill. @CNNSotu #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/XeGWrRXfCP

— CNN (@CNN) October 1, 2023

AOC's response is so bad, it's funny. She suggested the signs were confusing, "I think there's something to be said that the government's about to shut down, there's a vote clock that's going down, the exits that are normally open in that building were suddenly closed."

Tapper had the right response, "So he pulled the fire alarm?" 

She didn't have much of a response to that, because there is no defense. However, she did say that Bowman was cooperating with the investigation over what she characterized as a "misunderstanding." 

But then she tried to deflect to a "whataboutism" about Rep. George Santos (R-NY), claiming Republicans weren't doing anything about him. Whatever Santos did or didn't do has absolutely no bearing on Bowman's possible crime. She claimed that Santos had been convicted of 13 counts—but last I checked he had been indicted, not convicted. AOC doesn't seem to understand the difference between those two things or the concept of innocent until proven guilty or until you admit it, which is what Bowman did here. Tapper should have corrected her. There's that thing about her not being very smart, as Elon Musk said. 

"But they're filing a motion to expel a member who in a moment of panic was trying to escape a vestibule," AOC said. "Give me a break." 

That's pretty funny. A moment of panic trying to escape a vestibule? That's what she's calling it now? Does she realize how silly she makes him sound when she says that? She again wrongly described Santos' status.  

"[Bowman] apologized," Ocasio-Cortez continued, referencing her colleague’s statement. "And [Republicans] are protecting someone who has not only committed wire fraud, not only defrauded veterans, not only lied to congressional investigators, but is openly gloating about it, is absolutely humiliating to the Republican caucus." 

The congresswoman concluded that Republicans "should really check their own values."

She then went on to try to spin for her fellow Squad member on X, suggesting hilariously that there was construction in the tunnels, and detours in the tunnels could be "disorienting." 

Fwiw, Cannon construction reroutes have made the tunnel walks from Cannon to the Capitol much longer than going outside. Entire tunnels are closed & some offices near construction have disorienting routes. The NJ/Ind exit (which this looks like) is the easiest & it’s usually open

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) October 1, 2023

To quote Tapper, "So he pulled the fire alarm?" 

She was immediately rebutted by the chief of staff for Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT). 

This is such BS. There’s nothing disorienting about walking in the hallway. The same wing of the building (not near the Capitol) has been closed since December. Our office is in Cannon. Z and I make it to and from the Capitol many times a day without tripping the fire alarm. https://t.co/sWgpFlyx8l

— Heather Swift (@hswift) October 1, 2023

Bottom line: Bowman pulled it and ran for the hills. He didn't stick around and explain. They had to evacuate the building and then go looking for him. 

We know that if this had been a Republican, they'd be calling for his head.