Triggerfinger

Gun-Free School Zones Act...

You may remember the Gun Free School Zones Act of mumblemumble which barred firearms from a zone of 1000 feet around any school.  The Supreme Court ruled it unConstitutional on commerce clause grounds (I believe this was in Lopez), suggesting that there was an insufficient nexus between interstate commerce and the desired regulation to allow for it.  Feinstein just asked John Roberts about the case, and he suggested that it would be Constitutional if re-passed with Congressional findings supporting a sufficient commerce nexus. 

There are many things that this answer can be called, but a strong gun-rights position is definitely not one of them.

I'm hesitant to move too quickly to condemn Roberts on the strength of an incomplete recollection of surely nuanced statements, particularly in light of Roberts' infamous toad case that suggests a fairly limited view of interstate commerce powers.  But I am unwilling to give him a pass on it either.  I will be digging up transcripts as soon as I can find them to get a better idea of what exactly he was asked and what exactly he answered.  However, on my first impression, I was very disappointed to hear that response.

(I should note also that Feinstein, however annoying her politics and legislation often are, is both very smart and very smooth; she did an excellent job asking good questions in the 10 minutes or so that I was able to listen.  She's dangerous.)

UPDATE: It looks like Alphecca caught a little bit more of that exchange than I did.

UPDATE: See the whole question and answer from the transcript.

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