Stevens: The Constitution Made Me Do It

Jacob Sullum | August 25, 2005

Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens feels bad about the outcomes of Raich and Kelo but says the Constitution compelled him to support the federal crackdown on medical marijuana in California and the wanton use of eminent domain in Connecticut, both of which he opposes as a matter of policy. Since growing marijuana in your yard for your own medical use is so plainly an element of interstate commerce and a hotel is so obviously a "public use" that justifies forcible property transfers, what choice did he have?