Andy Biggs, who is running for Congress, resorted to lies this week in response to criticism from state representatives Michelle Ugenti-Rita and Kelly Townsend. It certainly is not the first time a politician played fast and loose with facts, but it does show just how much contempt he has for voters.
Townsend and Ugenti-Rita criticized Biggs for failing to support a bill that would have protected women and children because it had “too many constitutional impediments to support it.”
The bill, sponsored by Ugenti-Rita, HB2648, would have protected children who were being abused by Warren Jeffs and his enforcers.
HB2648 would have created a mechanism for the state of Arizona to decertify the Marshall’s Office in Colorado City. That office provided cover for pedophiles.
Senate President Andy Biggs assigned Ugenti-Rita’s bill to three committees which guaranteed that it would never make it before the whole Senate for a vote.
According to Townsend and others, Biggs made no effort to improve the bill – if in fact there were questions as to whether it was constitutional or not. No effort at all, and all the while women and children were abused.
Jeffs, a Latter Day Saints-based cult leader in northern Arizona, oversaw what amounted to a criminal enterprise otherwise known as Colorado City, Arizona before being sent to prison for 20 years after being convicted child sexual assault. On every level of government, from the Arizona Attorney General to state lawmakers, authorities tried to hold Jeffs and his enforcers accountable while protecting woman, kids and religious liberty.
As a Red State, in which religious liberty is paramount, Jeffs’ bizarre cult presented a serious problem. How could the State protect kids from predators, if those predators claimed it was part of their faith to marry babies?
Ugenti-Rita was brave enough to take the issue on. Biggs was cowardly enough to avoid it.
Earlier this year, the United State Department of Justice (DOJ) won a suit against the communities of Colorado and Hildale, Utah for violating the constitutional rights of some of its citizens. At time, Ugenti-Rita said the decision “came later than was necessary.”
Think about that. Later than was necessary translates into: it was later than necessary to spare young girls from abuse.
Given Biggs’ history of not protecting his own child, it is not surprising that he would feel no obligation to protect someone else’s daughter. However, as the Senate president he had an obligation to protect all Arizonans. That includes working with lawmakers to perfect legislation to serve that end.
Biggs failed.
Ugenti-Rita said in a statement released after the DOJ victory: “While this verdict is an important first step, there is much more to be done. Many legislators and stakeholders have worked tirelessly to protect the rights of these citizens and they should be commended for their efforts. Now is the time for all parties, including the legislature, law enforcement and local governments, to come together and develop a solution to resolve the issues in these communities and ensure these types of discriminatory and abusive acts never occur again.”
Unfortunately should Biggs succeed in his bid for Congress, Arizona will send a man to DC who proved this week that he can find an excuse for anything – even protecting pedophiles.