Comparing Andy Biggs to Harry Reid: Sarah Palin blasts Arizona Senate president’s stand on constitutional convention

Arizona’s Senate president is under fire from an unlikely source within his own political party: Sarah Palin.

The former vice presidential candidate took to Facebook on Tuesday to chastise Senate President Andy Biggs as the “only man standing in the way” of a vote on a measure to call an Article V Convention to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Palin notes that similar measures have already been approved in several states.  But she said thanks to Biggs, a Gilbert Republican and leader of the GOP in the Senate, Arizona’s opportunities to approve SCR 1016 are rapidly dwindling.  Legislatures in Alaska, Florida and Georgia have all approved efforts calling for a Convention of States, and other states are still considering the option.

The Article V Convention measure was struck onto SCR 1016 in the House, where it was approved 31-24 and now awaits action in the Senate.

“Unless he budges, the session will run out, and the bill will actually die this year after thousands of hours of grassroots work and effort,” Palin wrote on Facebook. “Make no mistake, if that happens, these grassroots patriots will start over again next year and will continue as long as it takes. But I encourage everyone in Arizona to call this state senator and voice your objections to these Harry Reid-like tactics.”

“Tell him to allow this bill to come to a vote, and from now on, please only elect local leaders who support this effort,” Palin added.

As of roughly 5 p.m. Tuesday, Palin’s Facebook post has been shared over 1,100 times. And among the hundreds of comments on the post, many include the number to Biggs’ office in the Senate and his email address.

Some commentators expressed outrage that Biggs won’t allow the bill to proceed by urging a recall of the Senate president. Other accused Biggs of being a RINO, a “Republican in name only.”

“Ahh Mr. Biggs. . . . proving that some Republicans are more like Dems than they are like Conservatives,” wrote Damon Landschoot.

Biggs has a history of fighting against calls for constitutional convention.  In 2012, the senator tried to defeat a similar Senate resolution by arguing that it could lead to a runaway convention where nearly any issue could be addressed, not simply to impose fiscal constraints such as limiting the increase of the federal debt.