THE ANDY BIGGS FILES, VOLUME 1: Pimps, Johns Ahead of Child Protection

Welcome to The Andy Biggs Files, Copper State War Room’s weekly look at Andy Biggs’ decades-long record of protecting pedophiles, sex traffickers, and abusers.

Each week, we’ll examine a different vote from Biggs’ career, what was at stake, and explain how he put politics ahead of protecting Arizonans.

Volume 1 focuses on 2007, when Biggs cast the lone “no” vote in committee against bipartisan legislation toughening penalties for child prostitution — a vote that prompted the Arizona Republic to run a piece titled, “Biggs Puts Pimps, Johns Ahead Of Child Protection.” This vote was also spotlighted last week by Arizona’s Family and The Copper Courier.

The version of the bill Biggs voted against would have made it a Class 2 felony to recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, or obtain a person under 18 with the intent of causing that person to engage in prostitution. It also expanded the offense of child prostitution to include knowingly engaging in or attempting to engage in prostitution with a minor and specified that not knowing the minor’s age was not a defense under the circumstances described in the bill.

Biggs was the lone lawmaker to object to the bill during the committee vote, arguing that supporters were trying to “make a political point rather than advance good policy.”

This vote was not an isolated incident. It is one of several times Biggs was on the wrong side of legislation intended to protect children from sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking that is documented in The Andy Biggs Files, a website released earlier this month examining Biggs’ legislative record on these issues.

Copper State Victory spokesperson Nicholas Simões Machado said:

“Andy Biggs has a decades-long record of voting against protecting children from  sexual exploitation. Arizonans deserve to know why Biggs was the only legislator in the committee to object to toughening penalties for child prostitution.” 

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