Justice Stevens Wants to Amend Article VI?!?

October 4th, 2012

Really JPS? Article VI provides, in part:

This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.

So what does Justice Stevens want to do? In this speech delivered to the Chicago Bar Association yesterday, Justice Stevens wants to add “four words to the text of Article VI”: “and other public officials.”

Why, you may ask? To nullify Printz v. United States, of course. Binding “public officials” to the supreme law of the land would allow commandeering of state officials, of course.

Justice Stevens should take up a hobby. I find his entire rehabilitation-of-his-dissents tour almost sad. I am very, very grateful Justice Kagan is sitting in his seat now.

H/T Tony Mauro