Washington, D.C. — U.S. Capitol Police arrested Rep. Jamaal Bowman on Thursday, just one day after Congress failed to pass sweeping voting reforms.

The defeat of that legislation has prompted some Democrats — including the president — to offer warnings about the legitimacy of future elections.

Bowman was charged with crossing a police line and faces a $200 fine, according to his office, after he went to greet young protesters advocating for voting rights outside the Capitol.

What You Need To Know

  • Rep. Jamaal Bowman was charged with crossing a police line after going to meet with voting rights protesters on Capitol Hill, according to his office

  • Sweeping election reform legislation failed in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, running headlong into Republican opposition and the filibuster

  • Without the federal election reforms, Bowman and another New York Democrat have shared concerns about the legitimacy of upcoming elections, pointing to how the new voting laws at the state level could affect some results

Despite his arrest, Bowman argued the focus should not be on him.

“It's about the protesters who have put themselves on the line with the hunger strike and getting arrested… because I hope they inspire the country to do the same thing,” he told NY1.

Earlier in the week, election reform legislation failed in the U.S. Senate, running headlong into Republican opposition and the filibuster. The legislation would roll back new voting restrictions put in place in Republican-led states.

Asked about the implications of the bills being defeated, President Joe Biden raised eyebrows Wednesday when he appeared to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the upcoming midterms.

"The increase in the prospect of being illegitimate is a direct proportion of us not being able to get these reforms passed,” Biden said at his Wednesday press conference.

Although the White House has since tried to clean up those comments — saying Biden was not casting doubt on the 2022 results — Bowman and at least one other New York Democrat have shared their own concerns about the legitimacy of upcoming elections, pointing to how the new voting laws could affect the results in some states.

“If we don't give people access, it's not legitimate,” Bowman said. “Democracy can't work if every single person doesn't have access. And that has to be our focus.”

“No, I'm not willing to accept the legitimacy of the returns in those states that have taken it upon themselves to disenfranchise voters,” Rep. Adriano Espaillat added.

Former President Donald Trump sought to undermine the 2020 election, making disproven claims about the results — first while serving in the White House, and then after leaving office.

Asked whether he is contributing to distrust in the democratic system, Bowman pushed back, saying the questions he is raising about future elections are not the same.

“I'm having an honest conversation about what has taken place in our democracy and in the system at this time,” he said. “The distrust that Donald Trump put forth lacked any evidence.”

With sweeping reforms now on ice, Bowman said looking forward, people need to keep up the pressure on voting rights.

“We need a modern day civil rights movement. There's no if, ands, or buts about it, in my opinion,” he said.