taylor argued february decided june petitioner taylor indicted hobbs act two counts affecting commerce attempting robbery participation two home invasions targeting marijuana dealers cases taylor gang members broke homes confronted residents demanded location drugs money found neither left relatively empty handed taylor trial resulted hung jury retrial government urged trial preclude taylor offering evidence drug dealers targeted dealt marijuana trial excluded evidence taylor convicted counts fourth circuit affirmed holding given aggregate effect drug dealing interstate commerce government needed prove taylor robbed attempted rob drug dealer drugs drug proceeds satisfy commerce element held prosecution hobbs act robbery case satisfies act commerce element shows defendant robbed attempted rob drug dealer drugs drug proceeds pp language hobbs act unmistakably broad reaches obstruction delay effect commerce jurisdiction see culbert pp commerce power held congress may regulate among things activities substantial aggregate effect interstate commerce see wickard filburn includes purely local activities part economic activities substantial effect interstate commerce gonzales raich long activities economic nature see morrison one class activities production possession distribution controlled substances grafting holding raich onto hobbs act commerce element follows robber affects even intrastate sale marijuana affects commerce jurisdiction pp arguing raich distinguished controlled substances act lacks hobbs act additional commerce element taylor confuses standard proof meaning element must proved meaning hobbs act commerce element question law raich establishes includes purely intrastate drug production sale applying without expanding raich interpretation scope congress commerce clause power government proves beyond reasonable doubt robber targeted marijuana dealer drugs illegal proceeds government proved beyond reasonable doubt commerce jurisdiction affected pp government met burden introducing evidence taylor gang intentionally targeted drug dealers obtain drugs drug proceeds evidence included information gang members targeted victims drug dealing activities well explicit statements made course robberies revealed belief drugs money present proof sufficient meet hobbs act commerce element affirmed alito delivered opinion roberts kennedy ginsburg breyer sotomayor kagan joined thomas filed dissenting opinion opinion notice opinion subject formal revision publication preliminary print reports readers requested notify reporter decisions washington typographical formal errors order corrections may made preliminary print goes press david anthony taylor petitioner writ certiorari appeals fourth circuit june justice alito delivered opinion hobbs act makes crime person affect commerce attempt robbery act defines commerce broadly interstate commerce commerce jurisdiction case requires us decide government must prove satisfy hobbs act commerce element defendant commits robbery targets marijuana dealer drugs drug proceeds answer question straightforward dictated precedent held gonzales raich commerce clause gives congress authority regulate national market marijuana including authority proscribe purely intrastate production possession sale controlled substance congress may regulate intrastate activities based aggregate effect interstate commerce follows congress may also regulate intrastate drug theft since hobbs act criminalizes robberies attempted robberies affect commerce jurisdiction prosecution hobbs act robbery case satisfies act commerce element shows defendant robbed attempted rob drug dealer drugs drug proceeds targeting drug dealer way robber necessarily affects attempts affect commerce jurisdiction case petitioner anthony taylor convicted two hobbs act counts based proof attempted rob marijuana dealers drugs drug money hold evidence sufficient satisfy act commerce element beginning early outlaw gang called southwest goonz committed series home invasion robberies targeting drug dealers area roanoke virginia obvious reasons drug dealers likely ordinary citizens keep large quantities cash illegal drugs homes less likely report robberies police participating two home invasions taylor convicted two counts hobbs act robbery violation one count using firearm furtherance crime violence violation first attempted drug robbery taylor convicted occurred august taylor others targeted home josh whorley obtained information whorley dealt exotic high grade marijuana ibid robbers expected find drugs money whorley home ibid taylor others broke home searched assaulted whorley girlfriend demanded told location money drugs locating left jewelry two cell phones marijuana cigarette ibid second attempted drug robbery occurred two months later october home william lynch ibid source informed leader gang prior occasion source robbed lynch pounds marijuana front lynch home gang also received information lynch continued deal drugs taylor others broke lynch home held wife young children gunpoint assaulted wife demanded know location drugs money largely unsuccessful robbers made cell phone participation two home invasions taylor indicted hobbs act two counts affecting commerce attempting robbery app first trial resulted hung jury retrial urging government district precluded taylor introducing evidence drug dealers targeted might dealing locally grown marijuana see second trial taylor twice moved judgment acquittal ground prosecution failed meet burden commerce element tr see district denied motions holding proof taylor attempted rob drug dealers sufficient matter law satisfy element tr jury found taylor guilty hobbs act counts one firearms counts app appeal taylor challenged sufficiency evidence prove commerce element hobbs act fourth circuit affirmed drug dealing aggregate necessarily affects interstate commerce reasoned government simply required prove taylor depleted attempted deplete assets operation granted certiorari resolve conflict circuits regarding demands hobbs act commerce element cases involving theft drugs drug proceeds drug dealers ii hobbs act provides relevant part follows whoever way degree obstructs delays affects commerce movement article commodity commerce robbery attempts conspires shall fined title imprisoned twenty years act defines term commerce mean commerce within district columbia territory possession commerce point state territory possession district columbia point outside thereof commerce points within state place outside state commerce jurisdiction language hobbs act unmistakably broad reaches obstruction delay effect commerce even small act definition commerce encompasses commerce jurisdiction ibid noted sweep act past cases culbert words lend restrictive interpretation stirone hobbs act speaks broad language manifesting purpose use constitutional power congress punish interference interstate commerce extortion robbery physical violence determine far commerce element extends government must prove meet look commerce clause cases said three categories activity congress may regulate commerce power use channels interstate commerce instrumentalities interstate commerce persons things interstate commerce even though threat may come intrastate activities activities substantial relation interstate commerce activities substantially affect interstate commerce lopez held activities third category substantially affect commerce may regulated long substantially affect interstate commerce aggregate even individual impact interstate commerce minimal see wickard filburn ven appellee activity local though may regarded commerce may still whatever nature reached congress exerts substantial economic effect interstate commerce final category broad thus far nation history cases upheld commerce clause regulation intrastate activity activity economic nature morrison case activity issue sale marijuana unquestionably economic activity sure form business illegal federal law laws question marijuana trafficking moneymaking endeavor potentially lucrative one raich addressed congress authority regulate marijuana market reaffirmed congress power regulate purely local activities part economic activities substantial effect interstate commerce production possession distribution controlled substances constitute class activities aggregate substantially affect interstate commerce therefore held congress possesses authority regulate criminalize production possession distribution controlled substances even activities occur entirely within boundaries single state outcome warned leave gaping enforcement hole congress regulatory scheme case us requires graft holding raich onto commerce element hobbs act hobbs act criminalizes robberies affecting commerce jurisdiction raich market marijuana including intrastate aspects commerce jurisdiction therefore follows simple matter logic robber affects attempts affect even intrastate sale marijuana grown within state affects attempts affect commerce jurisdiction rejecting logic taylor takes position robbery attempted robbery drug dealer inventory violates hobbs act government proves something argument rests part fact raich concerned controlled substances act csa criminal provisions lack jurisdictional element see hobbs act contrast contains element namely conduct criminalized must affect attempt affect commerce way degree see therefore taylor reasons prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt either particular drugs question originated destined sale state particular drug dealer targeted robbery operated interstate business see brief petitioner reply brief second seventh circuits adopted argument see needham peterson argument flawed confuses standard proof meaning element must proved question government hobbs act prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt defendant engaged conduct satisfies act commerce element meaning element question law noted raich established purely intrastate production sale marijuana commerce federal government jurisdiction therefore government proves beyond reasonable doubt robber targeted marijuana dealer drugs illegal proceeds government proved beyond reasonable doubt commerce jurisdiction affected way escape conclusion hold hobbs act exercise full measure congress commerce power reached opposite conclusion years ago see stirone easy see expansive language act interpreted way conclusion make commerce provision hobbs act superfluous statute unlike criminal provisions csa applies forms conduct even aggregate may substantially affect commerce act commerce element ensures applications act exceed congress authority case like one target robbery drug dealer proof defendant conduct affected threatened commerce needed needed proof defendant conduct fell within category conduct aggregate requisite effect contrary dissent see post opinion thomas today holding merely applies way expands raich interpretation scope congress power commerce clause dissent resists approach aggregation principle raich based see post asked reconsider raich decision raich controls outcome long congress may regulate purely intrastate possession sale illegal drugs congress may criminalize theft attempted theft drugs reiterate means order obtain conviction hobbs act robbery attempted robbery drug dealer government need show drugs defendant stole attempted steal either traveled destined transport across state lines rather satisfy act commerce element enough defendant knowingly stole attempted steal drugs drug proceeds matter law market illegal drugs commerce jurisdiction makes difference cases actual threatened effect commerce particular case minimal see perez class activities regulated class within reach federal power courts power excise trivial individual instances class emphasis deleted present case government met burden introducing evidence taylor gang intentionally targeted drug dealers obtain drugs drug proceeds one victims robbed substantial quantities drugs residence past thought possess marijuana robbers also made explicit statements course robberies revealing believed victims possessed drugs drug proceeds tr asking lynch weed asking whorley money weed asking whorley money weed robberies committed express intent obtain illegal drugs proceeds sale illegal drugs proof sufficient meet commerce element hobbs act holding today limited cases defendant targets drug dealers purpose stealing drugs drug proceeds resolve government must prove establish hobbs act robbery type business victim targeted see stirone supra government offered evidence defendant attempted extort concrete business actually obtained supplies materials state judgment fourth circuit affirmed ordered thomas dissenting david anthony taylor petitioner writ certiorari appeals fourth circuit june justice thomas dissenting hobbs act makes federal crime commit robbery affects commerce jurisdiction decision today government obtain hobbs act conviction without proving defendant robbery fact affected interstate commerce commerce see ante holding creates serious constitutional problems extends already expansive flawed precedents construe hobbs act accordance constitutional limits hold act punishes robbery government proves robbery affected interstate commerce making federal crime commit robbery affects commerce hobbs act invokes full reach congress commerce power act defines commerce embrace commerce jurisdiction determine hobbs act reach start examining limitations congress authority punish robbery commerce power light limitations accordance hobbs act text hold government hobbs act case may obtain conviction robbery proves beyond reasonable doubt defendant robbery affected interstate commerce government may obtain conviction proving defendant robbery affected intrastate commerce intrastate activity congress possesses limited authority prohibit punish robbery constitution creates federal government enumerated powers lopez see art marbury madison cranch marshall powers legislature defined limited limits may mistaken forgotten constitution written powers generally congress limited authority crime government possesses broad general authority territories federal enclaves see art cl conferring power exclusive legislation district columbia art iv cl congress shall power dispose make needful rules regulations respecting territory property belonging power crimes committed different constitution expressly delegates congress authority four specific crimes counterfeiting securities coin art cl piracies felonies committed high seas art cl offenses law nations ibid treason art iii cl given limited grants federal power clea congress punish felonies generally cohens virginia wheat marshall congress general right punish murder committed within example general right punish many crimes fall outside congress express grants criminal authority constitution short withhold congress plenary police power lopez supra see art amdt beyond four express grants federal criminal authority congress may validly enact criminal laws extent necessary proper carrying execution enumerated powers powers constitution vests federal government art cl chief justice marshall explained federal government may legitimately punish violation laws necessary proper means carrying execution congress enumerated powers mcculloch maryland wheat see limitations respected congress accumulate general police power constitution withholds scope congress power punish robbery hobbs act federal statute must assessed light principles commerce clause constitutional provision hobbs act clearly invokes authorize congress punish robbery clause authorizes congress regulate commerce among several art cl robbery commerce clause founding commerce consisted selling buying bartering well transporting purposes lopez supra thomas concurring commerce clause originally understood thus empowers congress regulate buying selling goods services trafficked across state lines gonzales raich thomas dissenting robbery buying selling plausibly described commercial transaction trade exchange value congress freestanding power punish robbery robbery commerce congress may prohibit punish robbery extent necessary proper carrying execution congress power regulate commerce art cl necessary congress prohibition robbery must plainly adapted regulating interstate commerce mcculloch supra means congress robbery prohibition must obvious simple direct relation regulation interstate commerce raich supra thomas dissenting internal quotation marks omitted congress robbery prohibition proper prohibited constitution inconsistent letter spirit mcculloch supra see comstock thomas dissenting principles mind turn hobbs act act provides whoever way degree obstructs delays affects commerce movement article commodity commerce robbery extortion attempts conspires commits threatens physical violence person property furtherance plan purpose anything violation section shall punished keeping congress authority regulate certain commerce robbery generally central feature hobbs act crime effect commerce act begins focusing commerce carefully describes required relationship proscribed conduct commerce act uses active verbs obstructs delays affects describe robbery must relate commerce making clear defendant robbery must affect commerce act reach depends meaning commerce act defines commerce within district columbia territory possession commerce point state territory possession district columbia point outside thereof commerce points within state place outside state commerce jurisdiction noted provision comprehensive appears invoke congress commerce power first clause definition invokes congress broad police power including power internal commerce district columbia territories see art cl district columbia art iv cl territories second third clauses clearly invoke broad powers well congress power regulate commerce among several art cl final clause invokes federal commerce power covered previous clauses invokes extent second third clauses already congress authority regulate commerce foreign nations indian tribes ibid critical question case whether commerce definition final clause extends intrastate activity given limitations imposed constitution construe clause reach activity explained hobbs act constitutionally prohibit robberies interfere intrastate activity prohibition need necessary proper carrying execution congress power regulate interstate commerce art cls see part supra punishing local robbery one affects intrastate commerce intrastate activity satisfy standard punishing local robbery bear direct relation regulation interstate commerce necessary raich thomas dissenting internal quotation marks omitted punishing robbery proper permitting congress criminalize robberies confer congress general police power nation even though constitution confers power congress lopez see raich thomas dissenting allowing federal government reach simple home robbery example encroac traditional police powers define criminal law protect citizens subvert basic principles federalism dual sovereignty inconsistent letter spirit constitution mcculloch thus hobbs act reaches local robbery particular robbery obstructs delays affects interstate commerce construed hobbs act validly punishes robbery congress power regulate commerce among several art cl lack force practical effect congress lacked authority enact criminal laws prohibiting interference interstate commerce movement articles goods interstate commerce comstock supra thomas dissenting hobbs act prohibition interferences thus helps carr execution congress enumerated power regulate interstate commerce art cls prohibition interference robbery bears obvious simple direct relation regulating interstate commerce allows commerce flow unobstructed raich supra thomas dissenting internal quotation marks omitted therefore necessary prohibition accords limited nature powers constitution confers congress adhering categories commerce constitution authorizes congress regulate keeping congress exercising general police power see lopez supra accordingly proper extent construed reach robbery affect interstate commerce however hobbs act exceeds congress authority longer necessary proper execution congress power regulate commerce among several art cls see part supra robberies might satisfy principles affect channels interstate commerce instrumentalities interstate commerce robbery forces interstate freeway shut thus may form basis valid hobbs act conviction might robbery truckdriver course transporting commercial goods across state lines government prove robbery state affected interstate commerce robbery punishable hobbs act sweeping robberies affect interstate commerce comes close conferring congress general police power nation given hobbs act text relevant constitutional principles government hobbs act robbery case least one involves intrastate robbery must prove beyond reasonable doubt defendant robbery affected interstate commerce see alleyne opinion thomas slip sixth amendment right trial impartial jury conjunction due process precedents requires element crime proved jury beyond reasonable doubt winship requiring showing element crime interpretation hobbs act petitioner david anthony taylor convictions stand government cites evidence taylor actually obstructed delayed affected interstate commerce committed two intrastate robberies government prove taylor affected channel interstate commerce instrumentality commerce person thing interstate commerce see lopez supra describing core areas commerce regulation government prove taylor affected actual commercial transaction let alone interstate commercial transaction government proved instead taylor robbed two drug dealers homes virginia marijuana taylor expected find robberies might possibly point crossed state lines taylor expected find large amounts marijuana see brief tr principles set forth sufficient bring taylor robberies within hobbs act reach reverse taylor hobbs act convictions ii upholding taylor convictions reads hobbs act differently see ante concludes commerce jurisdiction includes intrastate activity see ante modern precedents notes congress may regulate channels interstate commerce instrumentalities interstate commerce persons things moving interstate commerce may also regulate activities substantial relation interstate commerce activities substantially affect interstate commerce lopez supra see wickard filburn ven appellee activity local though may regarded commerce may still whatever nature reached congress exerts substantial economic effect interstate commerce approach broad part aggregation principle congress regulate activity even intrastate noncommercial activity activity falls within class activities whole substantially affects interstate commerce even specific activity within class effects considered isolation lopez thomas concurring emphasis deleted according final clause hobbs act definition commerce embraces category activities aggregate substantially affect commerce see ante robbery targets marijuana dealer holds affects type intrastate activity congress may regulate commerce power see ante least three reasons holding error although modern precedents wickard embrace approach applying approach hobbs act tantamount abandoning limits congress commerce power even slight limits recognized expansive modern precedents explained hobbs act construed punish robbery affects intrastate activity act defies constitutional design see part supra true even modern precedents even precedents emphasize constitution requires distinction truly national truly local morrison see lopez approach war principle avoid giving congress general police power must limit congress regulate approach aggregation principle stopping point thomas concurring ne always draw circle broadly enough cover activity taken isolation substantial effects commerce ibid approach congress commerce power regulate robbery aggregate type robbery deemed substantially affect interstate commerce applying test criminal prohibition us effectively gives congress police power identify true limit understanding commerce power although maintains holding limited cases defendant targets drug dealers purpose stealing drugs drug proceeds ante reasoning allows unbounded regulation given hobbs act read way give congress general police power see part supra construe statute today applying approach especially unsound effectively relieves government central burden criminal case burden prove every element beyond reasonable doubt holding follow even broad precedents reasons gonzalez raich case rests reasoning see market marijuana including intrastate aspects jurisdiction ante quoting therefore robber affects attempts affect even intrastate sale marijuana grown within state affects attempts affect commerce jurisdiction ante later target robbery drug dealer proof defendant conduct affected threatened commerce needed needed proof defendant conduct fell within category conduct aggregate requisite effect ante raich thin reed support holding raich upheld federal controlled substances act regulation intrastate manufacture possession marijuana personal medical use view congress rational basis believing failure regulate intrastate manufacture possession marijuana undercut federal regulation broader interstate marijuana market stress ed need determine whether local cultivation possession marijuana taken aggregate substantially affect ed interstate commerce fact whether basis exist ed concluding ibid initial matter raich suggests hold market marijuana including intrastate aspects jurisdiction ante emphasis added raich held market marijuana comprises activities may substantially affect commerce jurisdiction see raich supra activities necessarily commerce raich holding establish hobbs act text requires even raich established intrastate aspects marijuana market commerce jurisdiction raich still establish point needs conclusion specifically raich establish robbery affecting drug dealer establishes beyond reasonable doubt robber actually obstructs delays affects marijuana market raich hold activity relating marijuana market fact affects commerce raich instead disclaimed need determine whether activities relating marijuana market even taken aggregate substantially affect interstate commerce fact raich decided congress rational basis merely basis fcc beach communications thinking needed regulate activity part effective regulatory regime far finding beyond reasonable doubt particular robbery relating marijuana activity affects interstate commerce grafting raich holding onto commerce element hobbs act thus lead conclusion robber affects attempts affect intrastate sale marijuana grown within state affects attempts affect beyond reasonable doubt commerce jurisdiction ante analysis thus provides assurance government proved beyond reasonable doubt hobbs act robbery defendant fact affected commerce unnecessarily extends already broad precedents finally today decision weakens longstanding protections criminal defendants criminal law imposes especially high burdens government order protect rights accused government may obtain conviction upon proof beyond reasonable doubt every fact necessary constitute crime accused charged winship elements must proved jury amdt see alleyne opinion thomas slip given harshness criminal penalties rights individuals long recognized penal laws construed strictly ensure congress indeed decided make conduct issue criminal wiltberger wheat marshall thus man punished criminal federal law case must plainly unmistakably within provisions statute gradwell internal quotation marks omitted courts construe criminal statutes must especially careful broad reading criminal statute upset federalism courts must careful still nless congress conveys purpose clearly deem significantly changed balance prosecution crimes jones internal quotation marks omitted test tension principles test deferential review subjected see raich supra puts virtually burdens government come surprise test gained momentum criminal context instead context courts defer government regulatory arena wickard relying reasoning uphold regulatory restrictions wheat agricultural adjustment act without adequate reflection later extended approach criminal context perez example applied approach criminal statute holding congress criminally punish loansharking commerce power xtortionate credit transactions though purely intrastate may judgment congress affect interstate commerce judged class activities emphasis deleted see even extending approach however still tried impose recognized limits government criminal context year decided perez example held government must prove charged element crime beyond reasonable doubt winship supra shortly thereafter gave potentially broad federal statute narrow reading reading required prohibited act demonstrated nexus interstate commerce rather lesser showing based lenity federalism bass see indeed soon invoked principles rejecting broad interpretation hobbs act see enmons invoking principles lenity federalism construing hobbs act reach use violence achieve legitimate union objectives today however fails apply even limits today decision fails hold government burden prove beyond reasonable doubt defendant robbery affected commerce fails identify language hobbs act congress intention reach sorts local robberies traditionally prosecute jones supra fails take traditionally careful approach construing criminal statutes given problems expansive reading hobbs act sure taylor case plainly unmistakably within provisions act gradwell supra internal quotation marks omitted matter taylor committed crime akin one hobbs act punishes dangerous punish someone crime enumerated statute merely equal atrocity kindred character enumerated wiltberger supra takes dangerous step dangerous steps today construes hobbs act way conflicts constitution precedents longstanding protections accused interpret hobbs act way consistent text constitution reasons respectfully dissent