Representative Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), one of the most constitutionalist members of Congress, discusses the dangers convening an Article V Constitutional Convention, or so-called “Convention of States.” In the interview with The New American’s Christian Gomez, Rep. Biggs reveals that when he served in the Arizona Legislature, the leader of one of the groups peddling a convention of states approached him and told him that if he stopped opposing the convention that he would guarantee him that he would be president of that convention. “You can’t guarantee that because the Constitution doesn’t allow that. Nor does it allow you the plenary power that you think it does to nominate and appoint delegates to come to the convention,” Rep. Biggs recalls replying.
Contrary to what many Article V convention advocates contend, Congressman Biggs explains that Congress’ role would be more than simply ministerial. Under Article V, Congress writes the actual convention call. “If you think that the corrupt Insiders in Washington, D.C. are going to let a convention to change and alter the Constitution to make it what people believe will be tighter and restrain [the federal government], I think you don’t understand what’s happening in Congress,” Rep. Biggs tells The New American. Biggs continues, “I’m a big believer that it isn’t the Constitution that’s the problem, it is the people who ignore the Constitution that usurp power and abuse the constitutional power that they ostensibly have.”
