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William Rehnquist on Gun Control

Supreme Court Justice (nominated by Pres. Nixon 1972)

 


Can't use Commerce Clause to criminalize guns

In the Lopez case, the Supreme Court held that Congress lacks authority under the Commerce Clause to criminalize the possession of a firearm in a school zone. The majority opinion, authored by Chief Justice William Rehnquist, concluded in essence that, because firearm possession in a school zone is non-economic activity that has, at best, an attenuated connection to interstate commerce, it is not subject to Congress's Commerce Clause authority.

Justice Thomas agreed that the law was unconstitutional, but authored a separate opinion explaining that the Supreme Court's post-New Deal era interpretation of the Commerce Clause gives Congress nearly limitless power.

Source: The Freedom Agenda, by Sen. Mike Lee, p.185-186 , Jul 18, 2011

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Other Justices on Gun Control: William Rehnquist on other issues:
Samuel Alito(since 2006)
Stephen Breyer(since 1994)
Ruth Bader Ginsburg(since 1993)
Elena Kagan(since 2010)
Anthony Kennedy(since 1988)
John Roberts(since 2005)
Sonia Sotomayor(since 2009)
Clarence Thomas(since 1991)

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Merrick Garland(nominated 2016)
Antonin Scalia(1986-2016)
John Paul Stevens(1975-2010)
David Souter(1990-2009)
Sandra Day O'Connor(1981-2006)
William Rehnquist(1975-2005)

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Page last updated: Feb 02, 2020