Argument of Speaker
Mr. Speaker: I have the opinion of the court to announce in 94-251 United States against Robertson.
This case comes to us from the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and that court overturned the respondent?s conviction for violating a Section of RICO which makes it illegal to invest the proceeds of unlawful activity in any enterprise which is engaged in or affects interstate commerce.
It concluded that the government had failed to introduce evidence sufficient to prove that the Alaskan Goldmine in which respondent had invested his unlawful proceeds was engaged in or affected interstate commerce.
In a Per Curiam opinion filed today with the clerk of the court we reversed the Court of Appeals.
At trial the government proved the respondent?s Goldmine purchased equipment and supplies and recruit employees from outside Alaska.
The goldmine was surely engaged interstate commerce and the judgment the Court of Appeals is therefore reversed.
Our opinion is unanimous.
