Congressman Biggs requests apology from Representative Waters for intemperate comments

GILBERT, ARIZONA - Today, Congressman Andy Biggs sent a letter to Representative Maxine Waters, urging her to recant her encouragement of physical harassment as a political tactic, and demanding an apology to the American people. Congressman Biggs was joined on the letter by Congressman Matt Gaetz, Congressman Ted Yoho, and Congressman Randy Weber. Congressman Biggs issued the following statement:

"Americans were shocked to hear Representative Waters' recent calls for harassment of political opponents. Most of our constituents understand that this language is unacceptable for anyone, much less for a member of the most influential legislative body in the world. I introduced a resolution earlier this week to censure Representative Waters for her comments - and that resolution is pending in the Ethics Committee. We are hoping that, instead of a formal reprimand, Representative Waters will apologize for her intemperate comments and demonstrate the higher standard that we are called to as representatives of the American people."

Read the text of the letter below:

June 29, 2018

The Honorable Maxine Waters
Member of Congress
2221 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative Waters:

Television reports demonstrate your use of intemperate statements last weekend that shocked the public and members of this body. You advocated for people across this nation to demonstrate their disapprobation with the Trump administration by harassing cabinet members, staffers, and their families 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

This crossed the line of acceptable political discourse; and has brought the United States House of Representatives in disrepute.Your statements have resulted in the filing of two Motions to Censure.

We urge you to reconsider your position and recant your encouragement of physical harassment and bullying as political tactics. We demand that you apologize to the American people and honor the pledge that so many in the House agreed to just a year ago, to temper the tone of political rhetoric and to focus on policies rather than personalities.

You have asserted that you were simply advocating that yoursupporters protest against the administration. Yet your words indicated your desire to incite people to press against cabinet members, staffers, and supporters in a physically threatening manner, without let up, in life's most mundane activities: getting gas, shopping, eating, even sleeping. Your inflammatory remarks have enflamed people in a way that does not bring credit to you or this body.

In our congressional duties we represent our constituents and the United States throughout the world, and on many occasions, we advocate for abolition of violence in governments and politics. Your comments undermine this ideal.

Each of us speaks with passion, with power and conviction in our ideas and principles, and with zeal in representing our constituents, but we cannot let our emotions get away from us. We simply cannot condone rhetoric that is so reckless. This incitement to bullying as a political tactic is irresponsible. We are not political enemies, we are political opponents.

We ask that you repudiate any use of violence or physical harassment in political discourse.

The drafters of the Constitution intended for this body to police itself. It is regrettable that we have reached this point. We assert that you ought to protect this institution and the American public by recanting your apparent position that violence and harassment is acceptable in America. Your efforts to mitigate the impact of your statement last weekend might help us prevent the formal reprimand that is pending before the Congress today.

Sincerely,

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Congressman Andy Biggs is a first-term Representative from Arizona's Fifth Congressional District, representing parts of Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, and Queen Creek. Congressman Biggs is a member of the House Judiciary and Science, Space, and Technology committees, and is the chairman of the Environment Subcommittee. He lives with his wife, Cindy, in Gilbert.