Lead Opinion
*1187TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. BACKGROUND....1189
A. Factual Background....1189
B. Procedural Background....1191
II. DISCUSSION....1192
A. Issue One: Constitutionality of
1. Section 2423(c) and Congress's Efforts to Combat Sex Trafficking....1193
a. Provisions of the statutory scheme....1193
b. Early efforts to combat sex trafficking....1194
c. Legislative history leading to passage of § 2423(c)....1195
i. Enactment of § 2423(b)....1195
ii. Enactment of § 2423(c)....1196
2. The Commerce Clause....1197
a. ICC case law....1197
i. Channels....1197
ii. Instrumentalities....1198
iii. Substantial effect....1198
b. FCC case law....1199
3. Congressional Authority Broader Under the FCC than the ICC....1200
a. History....1201
b. Text....1201
c. Purpose....1202
d. The dissent's view....1203
i. Japan Line and the scope of FCC power....1203
ii. Sovereignty of other nations....1204
iii. Summary....1206
4. The Lopez Categories in the Foreign Commerce Context....1206
a. The ICC's three categories as a starting point....1207
b. The substantial-effect category is applicable here....1207
c. Evolution of the third Lopez category....1207
d. Adapting the third Lopez category to the FCC....1209
5. Constitutionality of § 2423(c)....1210
a. Section 2423(c)'s legislative history supports rational basis....1210
b. Section 2423(c) is an essential part of a broader statutory scheme....1211
c. Section 2423(c)'s jurisdictional element supports rational basis....1212
d. Raich supports rational basis for § 2423(c)....1212
e. Rational basis standard....1215
6. Legal Landscape....1215
7. Conclusion....1216
B. Issue Two: Brady Claim....1217
1. Additional Procedural Background....1217
a. Trial testimony....1217
b. Supplemental motion for new trial....1218
2. Analysis....1220
a. Standard of Review....1220
b. Legal Background....1220
c. No prejudice for a....1221
C. Issue Three: Mr. Durham's Statements about Child Pornography and Homosexuality....1222
1. Standard of Review....1222
2. Additional Factual Background....1222
a. Evidence about child pornography and homosexuality....1222
b. District court rulings....1223
3. Legal Background....1224
a. Rule 404(b)....1224
b. Rules 401 and 402....1224 *1188c. Rule 403....1224
4. Analysis....1224
a. Rule 404(b)....1224
b. Rules 401 and 402....1225
c. Rule 403....1225
D. Issue Four: Prosecutorial Misconduct....1225
1. Standard of Review....1226
2. Additional Factual Background....1226
a. The Government's cross-examination of Mr. Durham....1226
b. The Government's closing argument....1226
3. Additional Procedural Background....1227
4. Legal Background....1227
5. Analysis....1227
a. Preservation....1228
i. Alleged misconduct during cross-examination of Mr. Durham....1228
ii. Alleged misconduct during closing argument....1228
b. Plain error-substantial rights....1228
i. Alleged misconduct during cross-examination of Mr. Durham....1228
ii. Alleged misconduct during closing argument....1229
E. Issue Five: Cellphone Videos Authentication....1230
1. Standard of Review....1230
2. Additional Background....1230
a. Pre-Trial....1230
b. Trial....1231
3. Legal Background....1232
4. Analysis....1232
F. Issue Six: Victims' Medical Records....1233
1. Standard of Review....1233
2. Additional Background....1233
3. Legal Background....1234
a. Invited error....1234
b. Authentication....1234
c. The hearsay rule and pertinent exceptions....1234
d. Unfair prejudice....1234
4. Analysis....1235
G. Issue Seven: Substantive Reasonableness of Sentence....1236
1. Standard of Review....1236
2. Additional Factual Background....1236
3. Legal Background....1238
4. Analysis....1238
H. Issue Eight: Cumulative Error....1239
III. CONCLUSION....1240
Matthew Durham appeals his convictions and sentence on four counts for illicit sex with minors in Kenya after travelling there from the United States. This opinion addresses the following eight issues presented for appellate review.
1. Is18 U.S.C. § 2423 (c), the statute on which the convictions were based, unconstitutional on its face and as applied to Mr. Durham because it exceeds Congress's power under the Foreign Commerce Clause in Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3 of the Constitution? We hold that § 2423(c) is constitutional because Congress could rationally conclude that travel abroad followed by illicit sex with a minor, in the aggregate, substantially affects foreign commerce.
2. Did the district court err when it denied Mr. Durham's supplemental motion for a new trial alleging that the Government suppressed exculpatory evidence in violation of Brady v. Maryland ,373 U.S. 83 ,83 S.Ct. 1194 ,10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963) ? We affirm because Mr. Durham has not shown that nondisclosure of the evidence prejudiced his case.
*11893. Did the district court err under Federal Rules of Evidence 401, 403, and 404(b) when it allowed admission of Mr. Durham's statements about his struggles with child pornography and homosexuality? We affirm. The district court did not abuse its discretion in determining the evidence was intrinsic, relevant, and not unduly prejudicial.
4. Did the district court err when it denied Mr. Durham's motion for a new trial alleging that the Government made improper statements about his struggle with homosexuality during cross-examination of Mr. Durham and during closing argument? We affirm under plain error review because Mr. Durham cannot show that the prosecutor's statements affected his substantial rights.
5. Did the district court err in admitting cellphone video recordings because they were not properly authenticated? We affirm. The district court did not abuse its discretion because the Government presented sufficient foundation evidence for authentication.
6. Did the district court err when it admitted the victims' entire medical records? We affirm because Mr. Durham invited any error and because his arguments alleging lack of authentication, inadmissible hearsay, and unfair prejudice do not show that the district court erred in admitting the records.
7. Did the district court abuse its discretion and impose a substantively unreasonable sentence when it sentenced Mr. Durham to 480 months in prison? We affirm because Mr. Durham cannot overcome the presumption that the district court reasonably weighed the sentencing factors under18 U.S.C. § 3553 (a) or show that its sentencing decision exceeds the bounds of permissible choice.
8. Should the convictions be reversed because the errors, considered cumulatively, deprived him of a fair trial? Mr. Durham cannot show that any errors that may be eligible for cumulative error review cumulatively affected his substantial rights.
Exercising jurisdiction under
I. BACKGROUND
A. Factual Background
On May 1, 2014, Mr. Durham, then 19 years old, arrived in Kenya on his fourth Christian missionary trip there. ROA, Vol. 12 at 1818 (TT 1204); ROA, Vol. 10a at 25.
On his previous trips to Kenya, Mr. Durham had stayed with a host family, but on the fourth trip, he asked to stay at *1190Upendo instead.
On June 13, Ms. Menja, Ms. Wambugu, Jason Jeffries (another American volunteer at the home), and Tom Mutonga (a local supporter of Upendo) met with Mr. Durham at Upendo.
Once alone, he asked Ms. Wambugu to defend him, and she asked him whether he had done the acts reported by the girls.
During his time away from Upendo, Mr. Durham sent his father text messages stating: "I don't want to live anymore" and "I hate myself. I deserve to burn in hell." ROA, Vol. 9 at 78 (Gov't Exh. 29). He sent a text to Ms. Menja saying: "Tell all the kids how sorry i am, and i am praying for their forgiveness every hour."
Mr. Durham's great-uncle arranged for Mr. Durham to fly back to Oklahoma. ROA, Vol. 12 at 1682-83 (TT 1068-69). On June 17, before he flew out, Mr. Durham met with Ms. Menja, Ms. Wambugu, and Mr. Mutonga at the Seagull restaurant.
After Ms. Menja stopped recording the video, she said she could not listen any more, and Mr. Durham offered to write down his confession. ROA, Vol. 12 at 865 (TT 251). He wrote detailed statements about how he abused or otherwise engaged in inappropriate behavior with over ten of the children. ROA, Vol. 9 at 8-16. The following relate to three of the four charges of conviction and each concerns a different victim:
• "I would take her to the bathroom at night and hold her down and rape her. This happened on several occasions.
*1191I also made her watch me do things to [another girl]. I told her never to tell anyone, and that I loved her." ROA, Vol. 9 at 8 (Gov't Exh. 9).
• "I would take her to the bathroom and have her take off her clothes. I would touch myself and her. I don't know how many times it occurred. Also, when we had our sleepovers Friday night, [she] always made a point to sleep by me. I would spoon with her until I woke up."Id. at 15 (Gov't Exh. 9).
• "I took her to the bathroom and force[d] her to have sex with me. This happened on more than one occasion. I made her swear to never tell anyone.... Any time I try to read the bible or pray, this image comes to my [head]."Id. at 16 (Gov't Exh. 9).
Ms. Wambugu next spoke to the Kenyan police, who told her they could not arrest Mr. Durham. ROA, Vol. 12 at 873-74 (TT 259-60). Ms. Menja returned Mr. Durham's passport to him, and he flew out of Kenya the night of June 17.
Ms. Menja took six victims to a doctor the next day, June 18.
B. Procedural Background
Mr. Durham was arrested in the United States on July 18, 2014. ROA, Vol. 1 at 77. A grand jury returned an original indictment on August 5, 2014, charging three counts.
Trial was held between June 10, 2015, and June 18, 2015. Five of the eight alleged victims testified, including the victims associated with each of the four convictions. ROA, Vol. 12 at 658, 1406, 1426, 1440, 1458. Dr. Alawiya Abdulkadir Mohamed, who prepared some of the medical documentation in Kenya, also testified for the prosecution.
Mr. Durham testified in his defense. ROA, Vol. 12 at 1792 (TT 1178). The defense also presented testimony from a professional counselor about forensic interviews with victims of sexual assault,
The jury found Mr. Durham guilty on seven counts of traveling in foreign commerce and engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor in violation of
The district court denied the motions for arrest of judgment and a new trial.
The final Presentence Investigation Report ("PSR") calculated a recommended sentence of 1,440 months in prison under the United States Sentencing Guidelines (the "Guidelines"), based on Mr. Durham's total offense level and criminal history category. ROA, Vol. 7 at 142. This represented the statutory maximum of 30 years for each count of conviction, running consecutively.
II. DISCUSSION
Mr. Durham raises eight issues on appeal. As to each issue, we present the applicable standard of review and also provide additional factual, procedural, and legal background, as needed.
A. Issue One: Constitutionality of
Mr. Durham challenges the constitutionality of
We reject Mr. Durham's constitutional challenge to § 2423(c). Congress adopted this provision and several others in 2003 as part of a broad regulatory effort that started in 1907 to combat international sex trafficking. As the following discussion shows, Congress could reasonably conclude that United States citizens and permanent residents who, in the aggregate, travel to foreign countries and commit illicit sex acts there substantially affect foreign commerce. As a result, we must defer to congressional judgment and uphold § 2423(c).
1. Section 2423(c) and Congress's Efforts to Combat Sex Trafficking
Section 2423(c) makes it a crime for "[a]ny United States citizen or alien admitted for permanent residence [to] travel[ ] in foreign commerce ... and engage[ ] in any illicit sexual conduct with another person."
The following discussion describes how § 2423(c) facilitates Congress's efforts to combat international sex tourism. We provide a brief overview of Chapter 117 in Title 18 of the United States Code, which contains 18 U.S.C § 2423 and other anti-trafficking provisions; chart the historical development of § 2423 ; and review the legislative history leading to the enactment of § 2423(c).
a. Provisions of the statutory scheme
Chapter 117 criminalizes various activities related to sex trafficking. See
*1194Title
b. Early efforts to combat sex trafficking
Section 2423 developed through a century of legislation addressing international sex trafficking. In the early 1900's, Congress was concerned about the growing sex trafficking industry from Europe in particular. In 1907, it prohibited the "importation" of women or girls into the United States "for the purpose of prostitution, or for any other immoral purpose." Act of Feb. 20, 1907, Pub. L. No. 59-96, § 3,
Two years later, congressional investigators released a report concluding that the 1907 Act had failed to stem sex trafficking into the United States. See Importing Women for Immoral Purposes , S. Doc. No. 61-196, at 33-36 (1909) (recommending a number of policy changes addressing the unsolved problem of sex trafficking); H.R. Rep. No. 61-47, at 12 (1909). The 1907 Act had focused on stopping the flow of trafficked women at the border, but it failed to address the problem of women passing through immigration channels undetected. See S. Doc. No. 61-196, at 33-34; see also Ariela R. Dubler, Immoral Purposes: Marriage and the Genus of Illicit Sex ,
*1195In response, Congress passed the Mann Act of 1910, attempting to "put a stop to a villainous interstate and international traffic in women and girls." H.R. Rep. No. 61-47, at 9; see White-Slave Traffic (Mann) Act, Pub. L. No. 61-277, §§ 2-8,
In 1978 and 1986, Congress broadened the provisions of the Mann Act to fight sex trafficking. In 1978, Congress expanded the law preventing the commercial sexual exploitation of girls to include all children. See The Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation Act of 1977, Pub. L. No. 95-225, § 3,
c. Legislative history leading to passage of § 2423(c)
The next two major revisions to § 2423 occurred in 1994 and 2003. Congress added § 2423(b) and § 2423(c) to target sex tourism.
i. Enactment of § 2423(b)
In 1994, Congress enacted § 2423(b) as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 ("Violent Crime Act"), making it a crime for "a United States citizen ... [to] travel[ ] in foreign commerce ... for the purpose of engaging in any sexual act ... with a person under 18 years of age...." Pub. L. No. 103-322, § 160001(g),
Section 2423(b) originated from Senator Charles Grassley's amendment to the Violent Crime Act. In a floor statement, Senator Grassley explained that its purpose was to combat child prostitution in the multibillion dollar child pornography and international sex tourism industries. See 139 Cong. Rec. 30,391 (1993). He recognized the problem of "Americans ... travel[ing] overseas to places where children are readily available for purchase and abuse."
ii. Enactment of § 2423(c)
Section 2423(b)'s reach was limited to individuals who traveled abroad intending to engage in illicit sex acts. But proving intent was difficult. See H.R. Rep. No. 107-525, at 2 (2002). In 2003, Congress enacted § 2423(c) to permit the prosecution of individuals who travel abroad and engage in illicit sex acts-regardless of whether they intended to do so at the time of travel.
Section 2423(c) was passed as part of the Prosecutorial Remedies and Tools Against the Exploitation of Children Today Act of 2003 ("PROTECT Act"), which targeted various aspects of the sex tourism industry. See Pub. L. No. 108-21, § 105,
STPIA's language was incorporated into the PROTECT Act and ultimately became law in § 2423(c). The sponsor of § 2423(c), Representative Jim Sensenbrenner, who authored § 2423(c) in both the PROTECT Act and STPIA, explained that sex tourism supported one of the "fastest growing areas of international criminal activity"-human trafficking. 149 Cong. Rec. 7,625 (2003). The PROTECT Act's purpose was to curb that industry by punishing "persons who travel to foreign countries to engage in illegal sexual relations with minors." Id . at 7,633. But unlike § 2423(b), it would do so by criminalizing this conduct, "regardless of what [the perpetrator's] intentions may have been when he left the United States." Hearings at 25 (statement of Daniel P. Collins, Associate Deputy Att'y Gen., U.S. Dep't of Justice). Congress thus passed § 2423(c) to fill the enforcement gap created by § 2423(b)'s intent requirement.
* * * *
*1197In sum, Congress has worked to combat sex trafficking-particularly of minors-for over a century, developing a statutory scheme targeting sexual exploitation for both commercial and noncommercial purposes. Part of this effort included passage of § 2423(b), which made it a crime to travel abroad intending to have illicit sex. Because the intent requirement limited the statute's effectiveness, Congress passed § 2423(c) to allow for prosecution regardless of intent. Congress viewed this provision as a critical part of its broader efforts to combat the multibillion dollar international sex trafficking market.
2. The Commerce Clause
The Commerce Clause delegates power to Congress "[t]o regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes." U.S. Const. art. I, § 8, cl. 3. The following discussion summarizes the Supreme Court's case law on the Interstate Commerce Clause ("ICC") and Foreign Commerce Clause ("FCC"). Although there is "rich case law interpreting the [ICC], the Supreme Court has yet to examine the [FCC] in similar depth." United States v. Bollinger ,
a. ICC case law
The Supreme Court has recognized that the ICC empowers Congress to regulate (1) the channels of interstate commerce, (2) the instrumentalities of interstate commerce, and (3) activities that substantially affect interstate commerce. United States v. Lopez ,
In Lopez , the Court considered whether Congress exceeded its authority under the ICC when it prohibited guns near schools in the Gun-Free School Zones Act. See Lopez ,
i. Channels
Congress may regulate the channels of interstate commerce. United States v. Patton ,
ii. Instrumentalities
Congress may regulate the instrumentalities of interstate commerce, or the "means of interstate commerce, such as ships and railroads." Patton ,
Congress also may regulate "the persons or things that the instrumentalities are moving," such as criminalizing the theft of goods from an interstate carrier, like a train. Id . But "not all people and things that have ever moved across state lines" qualify as permissible targets of regulation.
iii. Substantial effect
Finally, Congress may regulate activity-including intrastate activity-that "substantially affects" interstate commerce. Lopez ,
In deciding whether federal legislation is constitutional under the ICC, courts consider congressional findings or the legislative record regarding the effect of a regulated activity. See id . at 21,
In assessing a regulated activity's effect on interstate commerce, courts need not examine the activity in isolation, but may aggregate it. For example, courts may consider the effect of not just one farmer's wheat production on the national grain market, but may consider the cumulative *1199effect of all farmers' production. See Wickard ,
Finally, courts also consider whether the statute contains an express jurisdictional element relating to interstate commerce. Id . at 561,
b. FCC case law
Under the FCC, Congress may regulate commerce "with foreign Nations." U.S. Const. art. I, § 8, cl. 3. There is "precious little case law" on the FCC. United States v. Pendleton ,
First, in Board of Trustees of University of Illinois v. United States ,
The Court further explained that the federalism constraints limiting Congress's ICC power do not apply in the FCC context. "The principle of duality in our system of government does not touch the authority of Congress in the regulation of foreign commerce."
Second, in Japan Line, Ltd. v. County of Los Angeles ,
3. Congressional Authority Broader Under the FCC than the ICC
"[The] scope [of the FCC] has yet to be subjected to judicial scrutiny." Clark ,
Congressional authority under the FCC is broad because Congress must speak with "one voice" in the foreign commerce context. Japan Line ,
Because the FCC concerns commerce "with foreign Nations"-as opposed to commerce "among the several States"- the federalism considerations that constrain Congress's authority under the ICC do not apply to the FCC, which therefore confers broader authority on Congress. Bd. of Trustees ,
a. History
For the Founders, expansive congressional control over foreign commerce was imperative. They wanted the federal government to have enough authority to promote foreign commerce, which comprised most of the early American economy. See Scott Sullivan, The Future of the Foreign Commerce Clause ,
Because foreign commerce was so vital to the American economy, the Founders sought to bolster federal power over international trade and ensure that the federal government could "speak with one voice when regulating commercial relations with foreign governments." Japan Line ,
b. Text
The FCC's text reflects the Founders' objective to provide broader authority than under the ICC. Again, the Commerce Clause delegates power to Congress "[t]o regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes." U.S. Const. art. I, § 8, cl. 3 (emphases added). The difference between "with" and "among" affects the scope of the FCC and the ICC. See Sullivan at 1966-67 (describing how the difference allows states to retain some lawmaking authority under the ICC, but Congress retains full authority under the FCC and Indian Commerce Clause).
In Gibbons v. Ogden , the Supreme Court discussed the word "among" when it acknowledged that Congress may regulate intrastate activity under the ICC. 22 U.S. (
After its discussion of commerce "among the several States," the Gibbons Court contrasted commerce "with foreign nations." Gibbons , 22 U.S. at 195. "[I]n regulating commerce with foreign nations, the power of Congress does not stop at the jurisdictional lines of several States." Id. Though the Court did not elaborate on the word "with," it pointed to the textual difference in the two clauses. "Among" in the ICC restrains Congress in regulating intrastate matters-a restraint not present in the FCC.
Both the FCC and the Indian Commerce Clause contain the preposition "with," and the Court has drawn comparisons between the two. The Indian Commerce Clause provides broad "plenary power" to Congress in regulating commerce with Indian tribes. United States v. Lara ,
c. Purpose
Both the FCC and the ICC empower Congress to address national interests, but federalism concerns do not constrain the FCC as they do the ICC. The ICC's purpose is to enable Congress to regulate interstate commerce in a federal system. It empowers Congress to regulate on behalf of national economic concerns as long as the regulation does not interfere with "truly local" affairs. Lopez ,
The FCC's purpose is to enable Congress-and thus the nation-to speak with one voice on international matters. "In international relations and with respect to foreign intercourse and trade the people of the United States act through a single government with unified and adequate national power." Bd. of Trustees ,
d. The dissent's view
The dissent questions whether congressional authority is broader under the FCC than the ICC. See Dissent Op. at 1253. It concedes that the FCC is broader than the ICC in certain situations. See id. at 1250. But it disagrees we have such a situation here. First, it argues that the FCC's scope is broader only when applied to restricting state regulation in the dormant FCC context. Second, it argues that the sovereignty of other nations constrains FCC authority.
i. Japan Line and the scope of FCC power
The dissent attempts to limit Japan Line 's statement that the "scope of the foreign commerce power [is] greater" than the interstate power. Japan Line ,
By way of background, the Constitution does not contain a dormant Commerce Clause. The doctrine derives from the Commerce Clause itself, which provides that "Congress shall have [the] power ... [t]o regulate commerce ... among the several States." U.S. Const. art. I, § 8, cl. 3. As to matters within the scope of the *1204Commerce Clause power, Congress may choose to regulate, thereby preempting the states from doing so, see Gade v. Nat'l Solid Wastes Mgmt. Ass'n ,
If Congress is silent-neither preempting nor consenting to state regulation-and a state attempts to regulate in the face of that silence, the Supreme Court, going back to Gibbons , 22 U.S. at 236-37 (1824) (Johnson, J., concurring), and Cooley v. Bd. of Port Wardens , 53 U.S. (12 How.) 299, 318-19,
When the Supreme Court has considered dormant commerce doctrine challenges to state regulation, it has recognized that the scope of Congress's affirmative powers under the Commerce Clause and the scope of commerce subject to the dormant Commerce Clause are coextensive. See, e.g. , Lewis v. BT Inv. Managers, Inc .,
The dissent is correct that the Court in Japan Line "did not say that the term commerce has a broader meaning in the foreign-commerce context," Dissent Op. at 1248, but it did say "the Founders intended the scope of the foreign commerce power to be greater," Japan Line ,
ii. Sovereignty of other nations
Although the dissent concedes that state sovereignty does not limit the FCC, it "reject[s] the notion that ... the power under the [FCC] to regulate conduct in foreign nations is unconstrained," Dissent Op. at 1253, and suggests that the sovereignty of other nations limits the FCC. The dissent presents no relevant authority-text, history, or precedent-that the sovereignty of foreign nations limits Congress's authority under the FCC.
An enumerated power both confers and constrains legislative authority. See Richard Primus, The Limits of Enumeration ,
First, the FCC is an enumerated power and therefore defines and limits that power by its own terms. The FCC's internal limits derive from the words "commerce," "regulate," and "with foreign nations."
Second, the dissent's suggestion that the sovereignty of foreign nations is an "external limit" on the FCC finds no traction. No provision in the Constitution restricts the FCC in this manner. Unlike federalism, an integral part of our constitutional structure, and unlike the Bill of Rights, an express set of limits on government power, foreign nation sovereignty appears nowhere in the constitutional scheme-either in the Constitution itself or the cases interpreting it.
*1206International rules of sovereignty and jurisdiction do not affect the scope of Congress's authority under the Constitution. They concern issues of international law, custom, and politics, not constitutional ones. See, e.g. , Verlinden B.V. v. Central Bank of Nigeria ,
Moreover, the Court has long recognized Congress's authority to pass extraterritorial laws that apply to conduct in foreign countries. The dissent suggests any law with application in a foreign country "would imply a diminution of [the foreign country's] sovereignty ...." Dissent Op. at 1251 (quoting The Schooner Exch. , 11 U.S. at 136 ). But the Supreme Court has recognized "Congress has the authority to enforce its laws beyond the territorial boundaries of the United States." E.E.O.C. v. Arabian Am. Oil Co. ,
Finally, the statute at issue in this case, § 2423(c), does not impinge on the sovereignty of other nations. It does not prevent another country from enforcing its child sex abuse laws against an American traveling there. For example, in Pendleton ,
iii. Summary
The dissent attempts to argue that congressional authority under the FCC is not broader than under the ICC by (1) restricting Japan Line 's statement about the breadth of FCC authority to the dormant FCC context and (2) suggesting foreign state sovereignty as an external limit on FCC authority. We disagree. As we have shown, the Japan Line statement is relevant, binding, and speaks to the reach of the FCC generally. See Gaylor v. United States ,
* * * *
Congressional authority under the FCC is broader than under the ICC. The Founders wanted to boost foreign trade-the early nation's economic engine-through a broad delegation of authority to Congress under the FCC. They did so in the Commerce Clause, distinguishing the ICC and FCC by using the terms "among" and "with," respectively. Though Congress may advance national interests under both clauses, federalism interests limit congressional authority under the ICC and not the FCC.
4. The Lopez Categories in the Foreign Commerce Context
The three Lopez categories provide a useful starting point in analyzing challenges under the FCC. The following explains why the third category applies to this case, traces its evolution in the interstate commerce context, and explains how *1207it should be analyzed in the foreign commerce context. Because the federalism concerns limiting the third Lopez category do not apply to the foreign commerce context, the substantial-effect analysis is different under the FCC than the ICC. See Bollinger ,
a. The ICC's three categories as a starting point
The dissent agrees that we "can adopt the Interstate Commerce Clause doctrine['s] ... three types of regulation" to consider constitutional challenges under the FCC. Dissent Op. at 1254; see also Pendleton,
Although the three Lopez categories "provide a useful starting point in defining Congress's powers under the [FCC]," Bollinger ,
b. The substantial-effect category is applicable here
To determine which Lopez categories apply to this case, we must consider the nature of the regulation under § 2423(c). In passing this statute, Congress criminalized the combination of "travel in foreign commerce" and "engag[ing] in any illicit sexual conduct." See
c. Evolution of the third Lopez category
This section traces the evolution of the third Lopez category as the foundation to explain how it applies in the foreign commerce context. The Court has developed the third category's jurisprudence in three important cases- Wickard ,
In Wickard , the Court upheld the Agricultural Adjustment Act's quota for wheat production, which had been enacted to maintain wheat prices, by applying an aggregate-effects analysis to "those activities intrastate which so affect interstate commerce."
Between 1937 and 1995, the Court did not invalidate one federal law under the ICC. See Erwin Chemerinsky, Constitutional Law § 3.4.4 (5th ed. 2015). But in Lopez ,
In Lopez, federalism shaped the outer limit of the substantial-effect ICC analysis. The Court declined to aggregate the noneconomic activity of gun possession near schools.
Five years later, the Court in Morrison struck down the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, which authorized victims of gender-motivated crimes to sue for damages.
The Court said the federalism "concern that [it] expressed in Lopez that Congress might use the Commerce Clause to completely obliterate the Constitution's distinction between national and local authority seems well founded."
Finally, in Raich , the Court upheld the application of the Controlled Substances Act ("CSA") to the home cultivation and possession of marijuana.
* * * *
In sum, the Court has limited congressional authority under the third Lopez category due to federalism concerns. In Lopez and Morrison , it refused to aggregate noneconomic activities to determine whether the regulated activity had a substantial effect on interstate commerce. It feared that such reasoning would obliterate the distinction between local and national interests in our system of dual federalism and allow congressional regulation of purely intrastate matters.
d. Adapting the third Lopez category to the FCC
For legislation under the FCC that regulates activity, the federalism constraints developed for ICC challenges do not apply. The Lopez category-three analysis must therefore be modified for the foreign commerce context.
Congressional authority under the third Lopez category extends further in the FCC context. Because the federalism considerations underlying the ICC do not arise in the regulation of foreign commerce, the economic and noneconomic distinction, which otherwise discourages the aggregation of noneconomic activity, is unnecessary.
In Lopez, Morrison , and Raich , the Supreme Court recognized limits on Congress's power under the ICC based on federalism concerns. To preserve "the distinction between what is national and what is local," Lopez ,
Federalism limits do not apply to Congress's FCC power and therefore do not constrain application of the substantial-effect analysis in the FCC context. "It has *1210never been suggested that Congress'[s] power to regulate foreign commerce could be so limited" by "considerations of federalism and state sovereignty." Japan Line,
FCC analysis thus does not require the distinction between economic and noneconomic activity. Courts consequently may aggregate both economic and noneconomic activity-and consider congressional findings of substantial effect based on aggregation-in determining whether Congress had a rational basis to determine that an activity substantially affects foreign commerce and is therefore subject to federal regulation.
5. Constitutionality of § 2423(c)
Section 2423(c) is constitutional under the third Lopez category as applied to Mr. Durham. Under the substantial-effect category, we must determine whether Congress had a rational basis for concluding that travel abroad followed by noncommercial, illicit sexual conduct with a minor, "taken in the aggregate, substantially affect[s]" foreign commerce. Raich ,
Congress passed § 2423(c) as an essential part of its broader effort to combat international sex trafficking-specifically sex tourism. Under § 2423(b), prosecuting individuals who traveled abroad to have illicit sex-whether commercial or noncommercial-required intent. Because proving intent was too onerous, Congress omitted intent in § 2423(c) to achieve the broader regulatory goals of § 2423 aimed at international sex tourism. Congress therefore had a rational basis to determine that travel to a foreign country followed by illicit sexual conduct with minors substantially affects the international sex tourism industry.
Section 2423(c)'s (1) legislative history, (2) role in the broader statutory scheme, and (3) jurisdictional hook together support the statute's constitutionality. The Supreme Court's analysis in Gonzales v. Raich lends further support.
a. Section 2423(c)'s legislative history supports rational basis
By 2002, Congress had recognized the problem of sex tourism was growing despite previous efforts to address it. See H.R. Rep. No. 107-525, at 2 ("[C]hild-sex tourism ... is increasing," especially in many "developing countries"). For many developing countries, sex tourism had become a source of income, and "[b]ecause poor countries are often under economic pressure to develop tourism, those governments often turn a blind eye towards [the problem of sex tourism] because of the income it produces."
The 2003 PROTECT Act sought to stop this problem. § 105, 117 Stat. at 654. It added a statutory scheme to dismantle sex tourism. See id. In addition to § 2423(c), three of the Act's other provisions also targeted the industry. Section 2423(d) punished sex tourism operators and their businesses; § 2423(e) criminalized conspiracies or attempts to engage in sex tourism; and § 2423(f) defined commercial acts, noncommercial acts, and the production of *1211child pornography as activities of sex tourism.
One of the PROTECT Act's critical additions was § 2423(c). This provision addressed a problem with one of Congress's previous attempts to curb sex tourism- § 2423(b)'s stringent mens rea requirement. Section 2423(b) required the prosecution to show an individual traveled with the "inten[t]" to engage in illicit sexual contact with minors, which was "difficult to prove." Hearings at 25 (statement of Daniel P. Collins, Associate Deputy Att'y Gen., U.S. Dep't of Justice). Section 2423(c) closed this gap; it targeted "persons who travel to foreign countries to engage in illegal sexual relations with minors" regardless of intent. 149 Cong. Rec. 7,633 (2003) (statement of Rep. Sensenbrenner).
The dissent correctly observes that congressional findings "can inform the analysis" but also are "not dispositive." Dissent Op. at 1260. The dissent also accurately notes that the PROTECT Act did not contain congressional findings on the impact of noncommercial sex on foreign commerce. See id . at 1261. But "the absence of particularized findings does not call into question Congress'[s] authority to legislate." Raich ,
b. Section 2423(c) is an essential part of a broader statutory scheme
Section 2423(c) not only bolstered § 2423(b), it joined a long lineage of legislation aimed at sex trafficking. Beginning with the Act of 1907, the United States banned the "importation" of foreign prostitutes into the United States. § 3, 34 Stat. at 899. Congress expanded its efforts to end international sex trafficking by passing the Mann Act in 1910 to prevent interstate trafficking,
The pathway to the enactment of § 2423(c) manifests a purpose to address the foreign commerce problem of the international sex trade. Unlike the gun possession provision in Lopez , which was "not an essential part of a larger regulation of economic activity,"
The dissent argues that "the great bulk of [the long history of federal legislation governing interstate and international travel for sex offenses] is irrelevant because it does not speak to the specific regulation at issue here." Dissent Op. at 1261. But this history is the predicate for showing that § 2423(c) is an essential part of the broader regulatory scheme. Although *1212we do not rely on formal legislative findings for this point, we properly rely, as have other courts, on the legislative history leading up to and including the enactment of § 2423(c). See Raich ,
c. Section 2423(c)'s jurisdictional element supports rational basis
The dissent recognizes that § 2423(c) contains an "express jurisdictional element" tying § 2423(c) to foreign commerce. Dissent Op. at 1262. In addition to "engag[ing] in illicit sexual conduct," § 2423(c) requires "travel[ ] in foreign commerce" as an element of the offense.
d. Raich supports rational basis for § 2423(c)
The Supreme Court's 2005 decision in Gonzales v. Raich supports the foregoing analysis. After Lopez and Morrison , Raich was the first Supreme Court case to uphold a federal statute on interstate commerce grounds.
The CSA classified marijuana as a Schedule I drug, making its manufacture, distribution, or possession a criminal offense.
*1213Raich ,
The Court upheld the CSA despite the lack of a congressional finding concerning the impact of noncommercial marijuana cultivation on interstate commerce. Raich ,
Two aspects of the Raich analysis are noteworthy.
First, the Court observed that the CSA was the product of decades of legislation.
*1214Congress "set out to enact legislation that would ... provide meaningful regulation over legitimate sources of drugs to prevent diversion into illegal channels."
Congress followed a similar course in passing the PROTECT Act, building on previous attempts to regulate the international market for sex trafficking. Beyond criminalizing the transport of prostitutes under the Mann Act, for example, the PROTECT Act attempted to address sex tourism comprehensively. It also closed gaps by targeting sex tourism operators and not requiring intent for travelers who engage in illicit sex. Just as legislative lineage supported a rational basis for congressional action in Raich, it also does so for § 2423(c).
Second , the Court in Raich examined the home-grown marijuana provision within the broader statute and recognized that it was part of the CSA's larger scheme to regulate commerce.
Similarly, § 2423(c) is part of the PROTECT Act's larger scheme to combat sex tourism. Congress passed § 2423(c) as a vital component to regulate the illicit international market for sex. The § 2423 provisions work together to curb the trafficking and sexual exploitation of minors abroad. Section 2423(a) targets the trafficking of minors across state and international borders; section 2423(b) targets those who travel abroad with the intent to engage in illicit sexual acts with minors; section 2423(c) targets those who travel without intent to engage in such acts; and § 2423(d) targets those who operate businesses that facilitate such illicit sexual conduct abroad. Together, the provisions curb the supply and demand in the sex tourism industry. That § 2423(c) captures intranational, noncommercial activity is "of no moment," see
*1215e. Rational basis standard
Rational basis is a deferential standard. The dissent mistakenly suggests that because the regulated activity must have a substantial effect on commerce and because noncommercial sex is noneconomic, such an effect is impossible. See Dissent Op. at 1258-59. The dissent criticizes the government for its failure to show that "noneconomic sex abuse will affect the market in commercial sex trafficking," id . at 1259, or that the "regulation is 'an essential part' of the regulation of commercial sex tourism," id . at 1260. It demands "data [ ] that [show] prosecutions of noncommercial child sexual abuse reduce the incidence of commercial abuse" because noncommercial sex is not a "fungible commodit[y]." Id .
But under the proper standard of review, "[w]e ask not whether, as judges, we believe the challenged statute has a substantial effect on interstate commerce, but whether Congress could reasonably have thought so." Patton ,
6. Legal Landscape
Both of the circuits that have examined the constitutionality of § 2423(c)'s criminalization of noncommercial illicit sexual conduct abroad under the FCC have upheld it. See Bollinger ,
*1216Pendleton ,
Two district court opinions in the District of Columbia have held otherwise. See United States v. Reed , No. CR 15-188,
7. Conclusion
In passing § 2423(c), Congress had a rational basis to conclude it was regulating activity that substantially affects foreign commerce. In particular, it could reasonably decide that foreign travel followed by noncommercial sex with minors-in the aggregate-substantially affects the international market for sex tourism. We therefore uphold § 2423(c) as applied to Mr. Durham as a permissible exercise of congressional authority under the FCC.
Section 2423(c)'s legislative history, place in the broader regulatory scheme, and jurisdictional hook indicate Congress's rational basis for determining the activity's substantial connection to foreign commerce. In 2002, the congressional sponsors of § 2423(c) recognized that the sex tourism industry was expanding and that the "growing ... industry" fueled human sex trafficking, a massive illicit international market. 149 Cong. Rec. 7,625 (2003) (statement of Rep. Sensenbrenner). Congress attempted to curtail such markets with the PROTECT Act in 2003. Section 2423(c) -and its accompanying provisions-target sex tourists and operators, commercial and noncommercial acts, and travel with and without intent to engage in illicit sexual acts. Specifically, § 2423(c) closed the enforcement *1217gap created by § 2423(b)'s intent requirement. Congress had a rational basis to conclude that, without § 2423(c), the failure to capture such behavior would substantially affect foreign commerce-here sex tourism.
Thus, under the FCC, Congress permissibly exercised its authority in passing § 2423(c).
B. Issue Two: Brady Claim
In his supplemental motion for new trial under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 33, Mr. Durham alleged that the Government suppressed evidence favorable to the accused in violation of Brady v. Maryland ,
1. Additional Procedural Background
a. Trial testimony
At trial, Dr. Alawiya Abdulkadir Mohamed testified about the victims' medical records. ROA, Vol. 12 at 1178 (TT 564). In June 2014, Dr. Abdulkadir supervised the outpatient clinic in Kenya where the victims were examined. Id. at 1179-80 (TT 565-66). Although she did not examine the children, she reviewed the Post Rape Care ("PRC") forms prepared by the clinician who did on June 18, 2014. Id. at 1182-83, 1188-89 (TT 568-69, 574-75). Dr. Abdulkadir prepared Medical Examination Reports based on the PRCs. Id. at 1183 (TT 569). Her testimony included the following:
Q. [C]an you explain to the jury what the hymen is on a female?
A. Okay. So the hymen is a membrane which covers the vagina and it's-it doesn't fully cover the vagina, so there's a portion which is slightly open to allow the menstrual flow. So it's a membrane which is usually most people get born with it and it's usually present in kids and-yes.
Q. If a hymen is perforated, what does that mean?
A. Okay. We-the hymen could be perforated due to several reasons. One of them would be due to sexual assault. The others would be due to extraneous exercises involving the groin region or falling astride, like falling on a wall, having bicycle accidents and horseback riding. Those are the common things which break the hymen.
Id. at 1185-86 (TT 571-72). She further testified that five of the six girls had a perforated hymen and that would not be normal for girls their ages. Id. at 1187-88 (TT 573-74). On cross-examination Dr. Abdulkadir testified:
Q. Now, you talked a lot about a perforated hymen?
A. Yes.
Q. Now, a hymen-a hymen can be in very different shapes; is that right?
A. True.
Q. It can be flat; is that right?
A. Yes.
Q. It can be round, some are bigger and some are smaller?
A. Bigger in terms of?
Q. Of their size. Some women will have a bigger hymen than others?
A. It's a membrane, so it's more thickness than bigger, it's not-
Q. More thickness?
A. The dimensions are not three-dimensional.
Q. If a woman has not started menstruating yet, would her hymen-it's called non-estrogenized; is that right?
A. Yes.
*1218Q. And that means that the hymen is more rigid and hard?
A. Yes.
Q. And so that would be the situation for children who have not yet hit their menstrual cycle; is that right?
A. Yes.
Id. at 1198-99 (TT 584-85); see also id. at 1220-21 (TT 606-07) (answering in the negative when asked if a 7, 6, 13 or 11-year-old should have a perforated hymen).
Dr. Abdulkadir testified that even if the assaults occurred a month before the examinations, the exams were conducted because "[t]he hymen doesn't come back. So we're looking out for the hymen. It doesn't regenerate, so-." Id. at 1214 (TT 600), see also id. at 1221 (TT 607). She agreed that "there's no way you can be certain that Mr. Durham committed the assaults." Id. at 1215 (TT 601); see also id. at 1222 (TT 608).
Later in the trial, the defense called Lisa Dunson, a sexual assault nurse examiner, who was present in the courtroom when Dr. Abdulkadir testified. Id. at 1581, 1585 (TT 967, 971). Nurse Dunson testified that all hymens have a hole in them, that preadolescent children do not usually have physical injuries following a sexual assault, and that hymens have different shapes and sizes. Id. at 1594-96 (TT 980-82). As for the term "perforated hymens," she testified:
Q. Now, what about-what was the term used on the medical records as far as the hymen; do you recall?
A. Yes. They used the word "perforated."
Q. And the examiner who conducted-who viewed the children didn't testify. What in your mind is-does that mean, "perforated hymen"?
A. Truthfully, I don't know. We don't use that term anymore. It hasn't been used since I've been doing exams, which is since 2003. I think when the general population hears the word "perforated," we think of a tear or a hole that's not supposed to be there, so I don't know what that means because I don't use that.
***
Q. So "perforated" could mean a tear, it could mean just the natural opening of the hymen. We don't know at this point; is that right?
A. I wouldn't speculate what that means.
Id. at 1596-97 (TT 982-83). She conceded that the term "perforated hymen" might be commonly used elsewhere, and that it appears in the Kenyan protocol for sexual assault examinations. Id. at 1621, 1626 (TT 1007, 1012). Although the term had not been used since she started doing examinations in 2003, she said it was once used in the United States. Id. at 1626 (TT 1012).
Nurse Dunson testified, contrary to Dr. Abdulkadir, that hymen tissue can repair itself. Id. at 1598 (TT 984). She had reviewed an article that said "minor abrasions and lacerations usually heal within about three to four days." Id . She said that "statistics say that 90 to 95 percent of all children exams, regardless of what the disclosure, are normal." Id. at 1599 (TT 985). She also testified that in examinations of children who have been sexually assaulted, "there usually isn't an injury. Children are usually not injured." Id. at 1616 (TT 1002). She also agreed that a "positive finding" for five of the six children would be unlikely. Id. at 1617-18 (TT 1003-04). She said that an acute injury of the hymen is from blunt force trauma. Id. at 1625 (TT 1011).
b. Supplemental motion for new trial
On October 2, 2015, Mr. Durham moved for leave to file a supplemental motion for a new trial, which was granted, and he filed his memorandum in support on October 27. Mr. Durham alleged the Government *1219violated his right to due process under Brady because the prosecutor in the case, Assistant United States Attorney ("AUSA") Robert Don Gifford, failed to disclose evidence favorable to the accused. ROA, Vol. 3 at 505-06.
The supplemental motion stemmed from two memoranda that the Oklahoma County District Attorney, David Prater, sent to the district court after the trial. On September 28, 2015, the court sent them to the parties' counsel. ROA, Vol. 3 at 812. The memoranda recounted telephone conversations on the evening of June 15, 2015, the day the prosecution rested its case-in-chief.
On August 16, 2015, Oklahoma County Assistant District Attorney ("ADA") Gayland Geiger wrote the first memorandum. It described his June 15 telephone conversation with AUSA Gifford:
I asked Gifford about the facts of his case. He said there were 5 or 6 or 7 (don't remember the exact number) of female victims ages 6 to 14. All but one of them had a perforated hymen. He indicated this evidence was presented by the government's medical witness.... A reviewing doctor actually testified to the perforated hymens. He said as best as they could tell, the sexual assault exams were done about 6 weeks after the abuse occurred. He said the defense was calling a sexual assault expert, and he did not know what the expert would say.... I told him that I have not heard the term perforated hymen. I told him it is very unusual to have physical findings in children; that it is extremely unusual to have physical findings 6 weeks after the event; that even if there were an injury, it would have healed in that amount of time; and, that it is extremely unusual and almost unheard of to have physical findings in 5 of 6 or 6 of 7 victims. I called [Physician Assistant] Donaldson and joined her for a three-way conversation with Gifford. She told him the same things. We together told him that there are legitimate medical studies showing even pregnant girls have normal exams. Donaldson explained the anatomy and that a perforated hymen is a normal finding.... I expressed my opinion to him that [ ] he cannot cross examine the defense expert in good faith on those issues, because medical research and the legitimate medical community share those opinions. I encouraged him to instead contact Dr. Brown to be a rebuttal witness to use to say even if the African exams are incorrect, it still does not mean sexual abuse did not occur.
Id. at 813.
At ADA Geiger's request, Dr. Ryan Brown, Chair of the Child Protection Committee at the University of Oklahoma Children's Hospital, wrote the second memorandum about his discussions with AUSA Gifford on the night of June 15:
We had discussed what a performed hymen meant to me. I had told him that to me, it meant that the hymen had a hole in it, which is normal. I didn't know if that was what the African physician had meant by it, but we don't normally use that language to describe hymens here in the US.... I had also stated that an imperforate hymen, is still normal, but is actually not a common finding. He had stated to me that the African physician had stated that he had found 5 of the 6 young ladies in the case to have perforated hymens and that the physician was calling that an abnormal finding. I *1220spoke with him that actually it is rare to have findings in sexual abuse exams, especially in your preadolescent children. I told him that about 95% of the time we will have a normal finding, and of the 5%, 2/3 of the evidence is found on the clothing or bed. I also reiterated that a normal exam does not rule in or rule out a sexual encounter. Also, that it would be quite rare for 5 individuals to have the same findings on exam in regards to a sexual assault, unless the perpetrator was using some type of instrumentation, I also spoke about how quickly findings on exams can heal, IF there were findings to begin with.... Again I stated that it would be a small chance to have abnormal findings on a preadolescent sexual abuse exam, and to have multiple children with the same finding, other than normal, would be rare. I also stated again that time is of the essence and rape exams done after a week could be normal even if there was a finding to begin with since the tissue heals so quickly.
Id . at 816.
In his supplemental motion, Mr. Durham argued that AUSA Gifford had failed to disclose the information he learned in his June 15, 2015 conversations in violation of Brady . In opposition, the Government argued there was no Brady violation because the information at issue was available to the defense and because it was not material in light of Nurse Dunson's testimony.
The district court denied the Brady claim based on the Government's second argument. It first said that, although the information provided by Dr. Brown was available from other sources, the fact it came from Dr. Brown was not. But the court concluded that the Government's failure to apprise Mr. Durham of Dr. Brown's statements did not deprive him of a fair trial because of Nurse Dunson's "vigorous opposition" to Dr. Abdulkadir's testimony. ROA, Vol. 3 at 810.
2. Analysis
a. Standard of Review
"Our review of a Brady claim asserted in the context of a Rule 33 motion for a new trial is de novo, with any factual findings reviewed for clear error." United States v. Torres ,
b. Legal Background
Under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 33, "the court may vacate any judgment and grant a new trial if the interest *1221of justice so requires." Mr. Durham's Rule 33 motion was based, in part, on an alleged Brady violation.
In Brady , the Supreme Court held "that the suppression by the prosecution of evidence favorable to an accused upon request violates due process where the evidence is material either to guilt or to punishment, irrespective of the good faith or bad faith of the prosecution."
To establish a Brady violation, "[1] [t]he evidence at issue must be favorable to the accused, either because it is exculpatory, or because it is impeaching; [2] that evidence must have been suppressed by the State, either willfully or inadvertently; and [3] prejudice must have ensued." Strickler v. Greene ,
c. No prejudice for a Brady violation
The information that AUSA Gifford learned from the June 15 conversations was favorable to the defense, and he did not disclose the conversations to defense counsel.
AUSA Gifford's June 15, 2015 conversations with ADA Geiger, Ms. Donaldson, and Dr. Brown were was not material in light of the trial record. On June 16, Mr. Durham called Nurse Dunson to testify. She said there are "usually not injuries with children" following a sexual assault, ROA, Vol. 12 at 1598 (TT 984), that a physical finding was less likely if the exam occurred five days after an assault, id . at 1597 (TT 983), that "minor abrasions and lacerations usually heal within about three to four days," id. at 1598 (TT 984), that "perforated hymen" was an antiquated term no longer in use, id. at 1626 (TT
*12221012), and that "statistics say that 90 to 95 percent of all children exams, regardless of what the disclosure, are normal,"id. at 1599 (TT 985). Nurse Dunson therefore testified to the information AUSA Gifford learned during his June 15 conversations, including the rarity of physical findings in cases of child sexual assault and that lacerations to the hymen heal quickly. ROA, Vol. 3 at 813-15.
As the district court said, Mr. Durham has not shown prejudice due to "Ms. Dunson's vigorous opposition to Dr. Abdulkadir's testimony." ROA, Vol. 3 at 810. The jury received the information from Mr. Durham's own expert, Nurse Dunson. She provided testimony that was the same as or comparable to the information from Dr. Brown about perforated hymens, the likelihood of findings during sexual abuse examinations, that normal findings do not rule out sexual assault, the rarity of the same findings in multiple children, and the speed of healing. Compare ROA, Vol. 3 at 816 with ROA, Vol. 12 at 1595-96, 1598-99, 1616-18, 1626, 1631 (TT 981-82, 984-85, 1002-04, 1012, 1017).
Mr. Durham cannot show prejudice because Nurse Dunson rebutted each of Dr. Abdulkadir's points that may otherwise have been impeached by the information that AUSA Gifford learned in the June 15 conversations. Indeed, Mr. Durham admits on appeal that Nurse Dunson's testimony "largely rebutted Dr. Abdulkadir's claims." Aplt. Br. at 23-24. Taking the differences between the experts' opinions into account, we still conclude that there was no Brady violation because Mr. Durham has not shown "a reasonable probability that, had [Dr. Brown's information] been disclosed to the defense, the result of the proceeding would have been different." Bagley ,
We therefore affirm the district court's denial of the part of the supplemental motion for a new trial alleging a Brady violation.
C. Issue Three: Mr. Durham's Statements about Child Pornography and Homosexuality
Mr. Durham argues that the district court's admission of his out-of-court statements that he had struggled with child pornography and homosexuality violated (1) Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b) because the statements were used to show propensity to commit the charged offenses, (2) Federal Rule of Evidence 401 because the statements were irrelevant, and (3) Federal Rule of Evidence 403 because the statements were unfairly prejudicial. Because the district court did not abuse its discretion, we affirm.
1. Standard of Review
We review the admission of evidence for abuse of discretion "and will not reverse if the district court's ruling falls within the bounds of permissible choice in the circumstances and is not arbitrary, capricious or whimsical." United States v. Willis ,
2. Additional Factual Background
a. Evidence about child pornography and homosexuality
The prosecution presented evidence at trial about two separate times when Mr. Durham said he had struggled with child pornography or homosexuality.
First, Ms. Wambugu, Ms. Menja, Mr. Mutonga, and Mr. Jeffries testified about statements made at the June 13, 2014 meeting at Upendo. They each said that during the meeting, Mr. Durham went outside to talk to Ms. Wambugu, ROA, Vol. 12 at 721, 827, 998, 1132, and that, upon returning with Ms. Wambugu to the sitting *1223room, Mr. Durham said he had struggled with child pornography and homosexuality. Id. at 724, 828, 999. According to Ms. Wambugu, Mr. Durham said he could not remember molesting the children, but could "only remember ... he ha[d] been struggling with child pornography and homosexuality." ROA, Vol. 12 at 724 (TT 110). Ms. Menja testified that Mr. Durham "said that he needed help because he has been struggling with child pornography and homosexuality." Id. at 828 (TT 214). Mr. Mutonga testified that Mr. Durham said he "needed to apologize, he needed to be forgiven," and that he "struggled with homosexuality and child pornography." Id. at 1133 (TT 519). In his testimony, Mr. Durham admitted saying at this meeting that he struggled with homosexuality, but denied mentioning child pornography. Id. at 1848-49 (TT 1234-35).
Second, the jury was shown the Seagull Confession Videos that were recorded on June 17. At the beginning of one of the videos, Mr. Durham stated he could not remember what happened. Ms. Menja responded that if Mr. Durham did not have a memory of the events and could not describe them, they would "want the police [t]here to deal with it first." Gov't Exh. 4 at 1:03-1:10. Mr. Durham said, "I've told you the truth, I've told you that I've struggled with this my whole life...." id. at 1:32-1:37, and described a "temptation to touch children and to be with other men," id. at 1:57-2:01.
b. District court rulings
Before trial, Mr. Durham moved to exclude evidence about his alleged struggles with "wanting to touch children"
When Ms. Wambugu testified at trial about the June 13 statements, the court asked if Mr. Durham would like a limiting instruction to the jury that Mr. Durham was "not on trial for child pornography or homosexuality." Id. at 725 (TT 111). Defense counsel declined, saying he "d[idn't] see how there c[ould] be any limiting instruction that cure[d] [the testimony's] prejudice," so none was given. Id. at 725-26 (TT 111-12).
Mr. Durham based his motion for a new trial in part on the admission of the evidence about his statements concerning child pornography and homosexuality. See ROA, Vol. 3 at 316-324. The district court ruled he was not entitled to a new trial based on the admission of the statements. Id. at 785. It said the statement about child pornography was relevant "because it was offered by Defendant as a justification for the behavior of which he was accused," and found any prejudicial effect of the evidence did not substantially outweigh its probative value. ROA, Vol. 3 at 786. As to the statements about homosexuality, the court found "that the potential prejudice of admitting Defendant's statements did not outweigh their probative value." Id. at 785. "[D]espite the potential for prejudice to Defendant ... the evidence herein was relevant, largely because it was offered by Defendant as some type of explanation or justification when he was accused of engaging *1224in inappropriate sexual activity with children at Upendo." Id. at 785-86.
3. Legal Background
a. Rule 404(b)
Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b) prohibits evidence of a "crime, wrong, or other act ... to prove a person's character in order to show that on a particular occasion the person acted in accordance with the character."
"When we apply Rule 404(b), we distinguish between evidence that is extrinsic or intrinsic to the charged crime." United States v. Kupfer ,
b. Rules 401 and 402
Evidence is admissible only if it is relevant. Fed. R. Evid. 402. Evidence is relevant if "it has any tendency to make a fact more or less probable than it would be without the evidence; and ... the fact is of consequence in determining the action." Fed. R. Evid. 401.
c. Rule 403
Otherwise admissible evidence may be excluded under Rule 403 if its "probative value is substantially outweighed by ... unfair prejudice." Fed. R. Evid. 403. " 'Unfair prejudice' within its context means an undue tendency to suggest [a] decision on an improper basis, commonly, though not necessarily, an emotional one." United States v. Silva ,
"The district court has considerable discretion in performing the Rule 403 balancing test, but exclusion of evidence under Rule 403 that is otherwise admissible under the other rules is an extraordinary remedy and should be used sparingly." Silva ,
4. Analysis
The district court did not abuse its discretion when it determined the challenged statements were (1) intrinsic to the charged crimes, (2) relevant, and (3) not unfairly prejudicial.
a. Rule 404(b)
The district court did not abuse its discretion by holding the statements were intrinsic rather than Rule 404(b) evidence.
Mr. Durham made both statements at issue when the Upendo volunteers confronted *1225him about the children's allegations. The statements were intrinsic evidence because they provided "contextual or background information" regarding his actions when confronted with the allegations against him and his confession at the Seagull on June 17. Kupfer ,
The fact that the statements were made after the charged conduct had occurred does not make them extrinsic. For example, in United States v. Bajoghli ,
The district court did not abuse its discretion by holding the statements were intrinsic evidence and not subject to the Rule 404(b) bar.
b. Rules 401 and 402
As intrinsic evidence, the statements satisfied Rule 401's "any tendency" relevance standard. See Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharm .,
c. Rule 403
The district court did not abuse its discretion in admitting the statements over Mr. Durham's Rule 403 challenge.
As described, the statements were probative as intrinsic to Mr. Durham's explanation for his conduct. The district court acted within its discretion to determine that the potential for unfair prejudice did not substantially outweigh the statements' probative value.
We affirm the district court's admission of the statements about struggles with child pornography and homosexuality.
D. Issue Four: Prosecutorial Misconduct
Mr. Durham contends that the district court erred when it denied the part of his Rule 33 motion for a new trial which alleged that the Government made improper propensity statements about his struggle with homosexuality. Aplt. Br. at 34-39. The statements occurred during the Government's *1226cross-examination of Mr. Durham and its closing argument. Because Mr. Durham failed to contemporaneously object to the alleged improper statements on prosecutorial misconduct grounds, we review for plain error. We find none and affirm the district court's denial of Mr. Durham's motion for a new trial on this issue.
1. Standard of Review
"Ordinarily, we review the trial court's decision to grant or deny a new trial for abuse of discretion, and will reverse the denial of a motion for a new trial only if the trial court made a clear error of judgment or exceeded the bounds of permissible choice in the circumstances." United States v. Toro-Pelaez ,
"Plain error occurs when there is (1) error, (2) that is plain, which (3) affects the defendant's substantial rights, and which (4) seriously affects the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of judicial proceedings." United States v. Fleming ,
2. Additional Factual Background
As described in Issue Three above, the jury heard evidence that Mr. Durham had twice stated that he struggled with homosexuality. We now provide additional factual background on the two alleged instances in which the prosecution made improper propensity arguments relating to these statements.
a. The Government's cross-examination of Mr. Durham
During the cross-examination of Mr. Durham, the prosecutor questioned him about his struggle with homosexuality. After replaying part of one of the Seagull Confession Videos, the prosecutor asked Mr. Durham: "[W]hat do you struggle with?" ROA, Vol. 12 at 1999 (TT 1385). Mr. Durham's counsel objected to the question on the ground that "this is repetitious," and the trial court sustained the objection.
b. The Government's closing argument
During rebuttal closing argument, the prosecutor twice referred to Mr. Durham's "life-long struggle with touching children and homosexuality." Id. at 2087 (TT 1473), 2096 (TT 1482).
First, the prosecutor argued:
There is always a first victim to a crime, a first time when you go to Upendo, long before your mother does, 24 days, a first *1227time when you ask to stay at Upendo among the little children that you're going to be with ... while you have a life-long struggle with touching children and homosexuality.
Id. at 2087 (TT 1473).
Second, the prosecutor argued:
[Mr. Durham] insisted on going to Kenya weeks before anyone else. He insisted on living at Upendo when he knew he had a life-long struggle with touching children and homosexuality. He put himself there knowing he couldn't resist, knowing it was all likelihood that he would get what he always wanted, and that was to be with children.
Id. at 2096-97 (TT 1482-83).
Mr. Durham's counsel did not object to either of these statements. See ROA, Vol. 12 at 2087-2103 (TT 1473-89).
3. Additional Procedural Background
After the jury rendered its verdict, Mr. Durham filed a motion for new trial on various grounds. One ground was that the prosecution had "implied ... that [his] struggles with homosexuality make it more likely that [he] sexually assaulted and molested children." ROA, Vol. 3 at 321.
The district court denied the motion. In doing so, it did not separately address Mr. Durham's claim that the prosecution had improperly suggested he had a propensity to commit the charged conduct. Instead, within its discussion of the admissibility of Mr. Durham's statements about struggling with homosexuality, the court stated that "[t]he United States never argued that Defendant engaged in sexual activity with the children because he is homosexual, rather the prosecution noted in closing argument that when confronted, he proffered an excuse." Id. at 785.
4. Legal Background
"We analyze whether a statement constitutes prosecutorial misconduct using a two-step process." Fleming ,
"The Government generally bears the burden of proving that an improper statement is harmless beyond a reasonable doubt."
5. Analysis
Mr. Durham contends that "[t]he Government committed prosecutorial misconduct by arguing Mr. Durham was more likely to commit the alleged crimes because he struggled with homosexuality and Mr. Durham was irreparably prejudiced." Aplt. Br. at 39. Because, as we explain below, Mr. Durham failed to preserve either of the alleged instances of prosecutorial misconduct for appellate review, we review for plain error only. See Toro-Pelaez ,
a. Preservation
Mr. Durham failed to preserve either of the alleged instances of prosecutorial misconduct for appellate review by contemporaneously objecting on prosecutorial misconduct grounds.
i. Alleged misconduct during cross-examination of Mr. Durham
Although defense counsel contemporaneously objected to the prosecution's cross-examination of Mr. Durham about struggling with homosexuality, defense counsel objected on the ground that the questioning was repetitious-not on the ground of prosecutorial misconduct for making a propensity argument. See ROA, Vol. 12 at 1999 (TT 1385). The district court therefore "did not have notice that defense counsel believed the prosecutor's questioning of [Mr. Durham] to be an inappropriate attempt at [making a propensity argument] or to rise to the level of prosecutorial misconduct." United States v. Baldridge ,
ii. Alleged misconduct during closing argument
The record shows-and Mr. Durham concedes-that defense counsel did not contemporaneously object to the prosecution's references to his struggle with homosexuality in its closing argument. See ROA, Vol. 12 at 2087-2103 (TT 1473-89); Aplt. Br. at 34 ("Defendant ... did not contemporaneously object during closing argument.").
b. Plain error-substantial rights
Because Mr. Durham failed to preserve either of the alleged instances of prosecutorial misconduct for appellate review, we review for plain error only. We find no plain error because Mr. Durham has failed to show that the alleged misconduct affected his substantial rights. We address each alleged instance of prosecutorial misconduct separately.
i. Alleged misconduct during cross-examination of Mr. Durham
Even assuming error in the prosecutor's references to homosexuality during cross-examination of Mr. Durham, any error did not affect Mr. Durham's substantial rights. "To show that an error affected his substantial rights, Mr. [Durham] must establish a reasonable probability that, but for the error claimed, the result of the proceeding would have been different." Uscanga-Mora ,
As discussed above, defense counsel objected to the prosecutor's questioning on Mr. Durham's struggle with homosexuality on the ground of repetitiousness. The district *1229court sustained defense counsel's objections. Moreover, the court's preliminary instructions to the jury at the trial's outset had included the following: "If an objection is sustained, ignore the question." ROA, Vol. 12 at 623 (TT 9). Additionally, the jury's acquittal of Mr. Durham on several counts, despite the prosecutor's questions, suggests that the jury's verdict was "based on reason, rather than emotion." United States v. Archuleta ,
ii. Alleged misconduct during closing argument
Even assuming error in the prosecutor's references to homosexuality during closing argument, the error did not affect Mr. Durham's substantial rights. Mr. Durham contends otherwise, citing United States v. Schene ,
Mr. Durham's argument fails because it does not consider the prosecution's remarks "in the context of the entire trial." Fleming ,
Even more so here under plain error review, when "it is the defendant rather than the Government who bears the burden of persuasion with respect to prejudice," Fleming ,
* * * *
Mr. Durham has not shown that the alleged improper prosecutorial statements, individually or taken together, affected his substantial rights under the plain error *1230test. We therefore affirm the district court's denial of Mr. Durham's motion for a new trial on grounds of prosecutorial misconduct.
E. Issue Five: Cellphone Videos Authentication
Mr. Durham challenges the admission of Ms. Menja's cellphone-recorded videos of his confession as improperly authenticated. Aplt. Br. at 42. He argues the "Government did not sufficiently address [his] contention that the recordings had been altered." Aplt. Br. at 45. He contends the videos were admitted in error due to Mr. Durham's "specific showing of irregularities" and inability to inspect the cellphone itself. [Id. at 46.] Because Ms. Menja's testimony laid a sufficient foundation for authentication, we find that the district court did not abuse its discretion when it admitted her cellphone videos and affirm.
1. Standard of Review
Whether the Government laid a sufficient foundation for the videos to be admitted at trial is reviewed for abuse of discretion. United States v. Green ,
2. Additional Background
On June 17, 2014, Ms. Menja recorded part of her conversation with Mr. Durham at the Seagull restaurant on her cellphone. The Government's trial exhibits included the five Seagull Confession Videos recorded by Ms. Menja that day. See Gov't Exs. 3-7. Each was admitted and played for the jury.
a. Pre-Trial
Before trial, Mr. Durham moved in limine to inspect the cellphone used to record his statements and to have an expedited chain of custody hearing. ROA, Vol. 1 at 631. The court held a hearing on the motion. ROA, Vol. 12 at 427. At the hearing, the Government explained that it would be providing Mr. Durham a "mirror image" of Ms. Menja's phone, but not the cellphone itself. ROA, Vol. 12 at 433; ROA, Vol. 2 at 543. The Government described the mirror image as follows:
When you make a video with a phone, unbeknownst to the person who is filming, images are embedded into the phone called LBLs. If you go back to that video and you cut off a portion of the recording, a forensic examiner would show that those LBLs still exist. More or less, it's like a fingerprint. In this case, the only way to get to that is to look at the actual phone. So based upon the defendant's concerns, we asked to receive the phone and we made a mirror image. That way, we can return the phone and do a forensic review on the computer, it would be just like we had her phone.
ROA, Vol. 12 at 427-28.
The Government explained that the mirror image would allow defense counsel to *1231analyze whether the videos had been altered: "[a forensic examiner] would be able to look at the LBLs to make sure there's no outstanding LBL missing video." Id. at 429. Defense counsel responded that the mirror image would not be sufficient to inspect for alterations. Id. at 430.
The court ordered the Government to turn over the mirror image to defense counsel. It denied without prejudice Mr. Durham's "Motion to Compel Production, Inspection and Imaging of Cell Phone and Expedite Chain of Custody Hearing," allowing Mr. Durham to renew the motion if necessary following his counsel's inspection of the mirror image. ROA, Vol. 12 at 435; ROA, Vol. 2 at 40.
After his forensic expert, Donovan Farrow, analyzed the mirror image, Mr. Durham filed a "Renewed Motion to Compel Production, Inspection, and Imaging of Cell Phone." ROA, Vol. 2 at 533.
[A] type of data scrubbing had occurred on some of the video files. Data scrubbing is a technique used to erase metadata that is related to a file. This technique has to be done by a person with knowledge and is not something that can occur unintentionally. Thus, this evidence has been compromised as it was intentionally tampered with to the point the video's metadata was deleted.
Id. at 544.
Before the hearing on the renewed motion to compel, the court arranged for a meeting between the parties' forensic experts. ROA, Vol. 12 at 592-596. At that meeting, Mr. Farrow requested a "logical image" from the Government, which he later received and analyzed. ROA, Vol. 12 at 595.
At the pretrial hearing on the renewed motion to compel, Mr. Durham's counsel argued, "[W]e stated last time we were here in court that the metadata had been scrubbed.... After looking at the logical image, which is just a portion of the cell phone, [Mr. Farrow] found that the videos had, in fact, been split up. They had been cut. He can tell that from the file names." ROA, Vol. 12 at 595. The court concluded Mr. Durham could call Mr. Farrow as a witness to testify that the videos had been altered, but it declined to exclude the videos entirely. ROA, Vol. 12 at 596. The court also noted that the Government "will have to lay the proper foundation for the introduction of these videos, and, obviously, cross-examination could be fruitful." ROA, Vol. 12 at 596.
b. Trial
At trial, the court overruled Mr. Durham's contemporaneous objection to admission of the Seagull Confession Videos. ROA, Vol. 12 at 857 (TT 243). The Government first showed one of the videos during its direct examination of Ms. Menja, who had recorded the video on her cellphone. Before showing the video, the Government asked Ms. Menja if she had reviewed the cellphone videos on both her phone and on *1232a computer. She responded that she had and that the videos were "identical." ROA, Vol. 12 at 856-57 (TT 242-43). The Government then moved to admit the cellphone videos. Id. at 857 (TT 243). Before the court ruled, it asked Ms. Menja whether the videos "accurately reflect[ed] [her] memory of what occurred on that date." Id. at 857 (TT 243). She said that they did, and the court admitted the videos. Id.
During the direct examination of Ms. Menja, the Government asked her several times whether she manipulated, changed, or edited the footage in any way. ROA, Vol. 12 at 859, 861, 865 (TT 245, 247, 251). Each time, she responded that she had not. Id. The defense neither cross-examined Ms. Menja about alteration of the videos nor called Mr. Farrow or any other forensic expert to testify about the Seagull videos.
3. Legal Background
To authenticate evidence for admission at trial, "the proponent must produce evidence sufficient to support a finding that the item is what the proponent claims it is." Fed. R. Evid. 901(a).
"When evidence is unique, readily identifiable and relatively resistant to change, the foundation need only consist of testimony that the evidence is what its proponent claims." United States v. Johnson ,
On the other hand, when evidence "is not readily identifiable and is susceptible to alteration by tampering or contamination, the trial court requires a more stringent foundation entailing a chain of custody of the item with sufficient completeness to render it improbable that the original item has either been exchanged with another or been contaminated or tampered with." Johnson ,
4. Analysis
The district court did not abuse its discretion in determining there was a sufficient foundation supporting the cellphone videos' authenticity. Ms. Menja testified that she had reviewed the videos and that they were a fair and accurate depiction of what she saw. ROA, Vol. 12 at 857 (TT 243). That testimony gave the court sufficient basis to determine the videos were authentic. See Mills ,
To the extent Mr. Durham believed the videos did not depict what they claimed to depict, the court gave him an opportunity to cross-examine Ms. Menja on alterations to the videos and to call his forensic expert to testify on them. He chose to do neither. See Johnson ,
F. Issue Six: Victims' Medical Records
Mr. Durham challenges the district court's admission of the full set of the victims' medical records, rather than just a portion of those records, on four grounds: (1) the court admitted all of the records when he had requested admission of only part of them (the "P-3" records), Aplt. Br. at 47; (2) the additional admitted material lacked authentication, Aplt. Br. at 47; (3) the full records included inadmissible "double hearsay," Aplt. Br. at 47-48;
1. Standard of Review
Mr. Durham failed to object to admission of the records at trial, so the plain-error standard applies. He must accordingly show: "(1) error, (2) that is plain, which (3) affects the defendant's substantial rights, and which (4) seriously affects the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of judicial proceedings." United States v. Baldridge ,
2. Additional Background
The medical records that the Government provided to Mr. Durham consisted of: (1) a Post Rape Care ("PRC") form; (2) lab requests; (3) clinician notes; and (4) a *1234Medical Examination Report, also known as a P-3 form. ROA, Vol. 10a at 28-80. The clinician on call filled out the PRC form for the six children examined. ROA, Vol. 12 at 1182 (TT 568). A supervising physician, Dr. Abdulkadir, then reviewed the PRC forms and prepared P-3 forms based on that review. ROA, Vol. 12 at 1182-85 (TT 568-71).
During cross-examination of Dr. Abdulkadir, defense counsel moved for admission of a P-3 Form only. See ROA, Vol. 12 at 1202 (moving to admit pages "1 through 4" of Government's Exhibit 44); ROA, Vol. 10a at 28 (P-3 form). The Government responded by moving to enter the entire exhibit, which included all four components described above. ROA, Vol. 12 at 1202 (TT 588). Defense counsel then stated: "I would ask that they move to[sic] Exhibits-enter Exhibit 45, 46, 47, 48, and 49 as well." ROA, Vol. 12 at 1202 (TT 588). The Court admitted all of the records.
3. Legal Background
a. Invited error
It is "fundamental that a defendant cannot complain of error which he invited upon himself." United States v. Chavez ,
b. Authentication
To authenticate evidence for admission at trial, "the proponent must produce evidence sufficient to support a finding that the item is what the proponent claims it is." Fed. R. Evid. 901(a).
c. The hearsay rule and pertinent exceptions
"Hearsay" is a statement that "the declarant does not make while testifying at the current trial or hearing" and "a party offers in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted in the statement." Fed. R. Evid. 801(c). It is inadmissible unless an exception applies. Fed. R. Evid. 802. One such exception is for business records-"records of a regularly conducted activity." Fed. R. Evid. 803(6). "[H]ospital records ... fit conceptually within the long-established exception for business records." Manocchio v. Moran ,
Another exception to the hearsay rule is for a "statement that: (A) is made for-and is reasonably pertinent to-medical diagnosis or treatment; and (B) describes medical history; past or present symptoms or sensations; their inception; or their general cause." Fed. R. Evid. 803(4). This court has recognized that "the Fourth, Eighth and Ninth Circuits have held that statements made by a child to a physician which identify the sexual abuser as a member of the family or household are 'reasonably pertinent to diagnosis or treatment' and may therefore be admissible [under Rule 803(4) ]." United States v. Joe ,
d. Unfair prejudice
Under Federal Rule of Evidence 403, "[t]he court may exclude relevant evidence if its probative value is substantially outweighed by a danger of ... unfair prejudice." Fed. R. Evid. 403. The graphic nature of evidence does not alone make it inadmissible. See United States v. Naranjo ,
*12354. Analysis
Mr. Durham's challenge to the court's admission of the victims' full medical records fails. Any error was invited, and he cannot show error on any ground he raises on appeal. It follows that he cannot show plain error. Baldridge ,
At trial, following Mr. Durham's request to admit a P-3 Form, which was part of the medical records in Government Exhibit 44, the Government requested the admission of the entire medical record-including the PRC form, lab requests, clinician notes, and the Medical Examination Report. ROA, Vol. 12 at 1202 (TT 588). Rather than object, Mr. Durham's counsel requested to move "Exhibit[s] 45, 46, 47, 48, and 49" into evidence "as well." ROA, Vol. 12 at 1202 (TT 588). Those exhibits included entire medical records, not just P-3 forms. Mr. Durham thus invited any potential error from admitting the records and cannot establish a plain error warranting reversal. See Chavez ,
First, Mr. Durham argues his initial request to admit only the P-3 form showed "counsel's intent was to admit only a limited portion of the medical records." Aplt. Reply Br. at 17. Even if that were so, counsel switched gears and requested admission of the entire records.
Second, Mr. Durham's authenticity argument fails in light of Dr. Abdulkadir's testimony. See ROA, Vol. 12 at 1179-83 (TT 565-69). She testified that she supervised the department where the records were created, reviewed the PRCs when they were filled out to make sure they had been properly completed, and reviewed the records before testifying.
Third, there was no hearsay error. Mr. Durham makes no argument about admission of the medical records themselves under the business record or some other exception to the hearsay rule. The only specific reference in the medical records Mr. Durham challenges based on hearsay is one victim's identification of "Matthew" during her examination. That statement, identifying a member of the child's household as the abuser, was admissible under Joe,
Fourth, the court did not abuse its discretion under Fed. R. Evid. 403. Mr. Durham does not question the probativeness of the medical records. Mr. Durham characterizes the records as including "graphic representations about where the child was touched and the purported genital injury," Aplt. Br. at 47. We have reviewed the evidence and conclude the district court's balancing of the probative value and prejudicial effect was reasonable. See Naranjo ,
Because Mr. Durham invited error and has not otherwise shown the court erred, *1236we affirm the records' admission and reject Mr. Durham's appeal.
G. Issue Seven: Substantive Reasonableness of Sentence
Mr. Durham challenges his 480-month sentence as substantively unreasonable. Aplt. Br. at 58-59. He "does not challenge the district court's procedure in calculating" the recommended sentence under the Guidelines. Aplt. Reply Br. at 26. We affirm his sentence because he has not shown that the district court abused its discretion in weighing the sentencing factors set forth in
1. Standard of Review
We "review the substantive reasonableness of a sentence for abuse of discretion." United States v. Chavez ,
We find no abuse unless the sentence "is arbitrary, capricious, whimsical, or manifestly unreasonable." United States v. Munoz-Nava ,
2. Additional Factual Background
The final PSR calculated a Guidelines sentence of 1,440 months in prison based on Mr. Durham's total offense level and criminal history category. ROA, Vol. 7 at 142.
*1237The court sentenced Mr. Durham to 480 months in prison, a sentence it characterized as a downward variance. ROA, Vol. 3 at 844; ROA, Vol. 7 at 477; ROA, Vol. 13 at 158.
The sentence the Court has selected, I'm satisfied, is sufficient but not greater than necessary, when considering the sentencing factors set forth in 18 U.S. Code 3553.
18 U.S. Code 3553 requires the Court to consider these factors:
The nature and circumstance of the offense; and the history and characteristics of the defendant.
In this regard, pursuant to reading the sentencing memorandum and what I've heard here today, I have considered the age of the defendant, the fact he is a first-time offender, his potential for the future, his charitable efforts prior to this occasion, that this at least appears to be aberrant behavior, the defendant has asked for mercy from the Court[,] ... his success in school, and all the other matters raised in the defendant's brief.
The next factor the Court must consider are [sic] the need for the sentence imposed. This includes to reflect the seriousness of the offense, to promote respect for the law, and to provide just punishment for the offense, to afford adequate deterrence to criminal conduct, to protect the public from further crimes of the defendant, to provide the defendant with needed education or vocational training, medical care, or other correctional treatment in the most effective manner.
The kind of sentence available is number three.
Finally, the kind of sentences and the sentencing range, which has been established. And the sentencing guidelines call for a sentence of life in prison.
Next, the need to avoid unwarranted sentence disparities among defendants with similar records who have been found guilty of similar conduct.... I read all the cases cited by both the defendant and the government. And, actually, I didn't find these particularly helpful. They went all over the lot, and circumstances differed from one case to another. There obviously wasn't one that fit exactly with this case, and you wouldn't expect there to be.
The only time I have had a case of rape ... I had one sentence five or six years ago ... in which the defendant was convicted of raping his 11-year-old niece. He had a prior conviction for sexual molestation, and I imposed a sentence of 50 years' incarceration.
Finally is the need to provide restitution to any victims of the offense.
These were heinous crimes committed on the most vulnerable victims. These darling children, who had been abandoned and orphaned, looked to the defendant for love and support. Instead, one by one they were raped. One was but five years old.
At times he chose to humiliate the children by having one watch while he abused or raped another. He was their worst nightmare come true.
Of course, there are other victims, including the children the defendant molested, but the counts were dismissed *1238because the acts didn't technically fit the charge.
And the Upendo home and the people that worked and volunteered there, they were trying to help the forsaken. This is now how they are known or what they must deal with.
These violent acts demand a harsh sentence. The victims must feel secure that he will not touch them again. However, I also believe, when considering everything, there should be some light at the end of the tunnel.
Hopefully, with appropriate treatment and strict supervision after release, the defendant can live productively and safely in society.
ROA, Vol. 13 at 156-58.
3. Legal Background
A substantive reasonableness sentencing challenge asks us to address "whether the length of the sentence is reasonable given all the circumstances of the case in light of the factors set forth in
When a defendant is sentenced within a properly calculated Guidelines range, the sentence "is entitled to a rebuttable presumption of reasonableness." United States v. Kristl ,
4. Analysis
Mr. Durham challenges his 480-month sentence as substantively unreasonable. Aplt. Br. at 58-59. Because Mr. Durham "does not challenge the district court's procedure in calculating" the Guidelines sentence, Aplt. Reply Br. at 26, which was determined to be 1,440 months, we presume that his sentence is substantively reasonable.
*1239First, Mr. Durham appears to argue that he should have been sentenced to no more than 470 months in prison, citing an online publication by the United States Sentencing Commission (the "Commission") for the proposition that "a life sentence is the equivalent of 470 months." Aplt. Br. at 58. This argument implicates procedural reasonableness rather than substantive reasonableness because it relates to the district court's calculation of the Guidelines range rather than its weighing of the § 3553(a) factors. See Gall ,
Second, Mr. Durham contends that his sentence is unreasonably high in light of the need to avoid unwarranted disparities. See Aplt. Br. at 58-59. This argument also lacks merit. At Mr. Durham's sentencing hearing, the district court stated that it had "read all the cases cited by both the defendant and the government [pertaining to the disparities factor]" but "didn't find [them] particularly helpful" because "circumstances differed from one case to another." ROA, Vol. 13 at 157. On appeal, Mr. Durham has not challenged the court's determination that the other cases he presented involved dissimilarly situated offenders. See United States v. Franklin ,
* * * *
Mr. Durham has failed to rebut the presumption that the district court reasonably weighed the § 3553(a) factors or to show that its sentencing decision exceeds the bounds of permissible choice. We therefore affirm Mr. Durham's 480-month sentence.
H. Issue Eight: Cumulative Error
Finally, Mr. Durham argues that the errors he alleges, taken together, deprived him of a fair trial. Aplt. Br. at 59-60. "To analyze cumulative error, we aggregate all the errors that we have found to be harmless and determine whether their cumulative effect on the outcome of the trial mandates reversal." United States v. Anaya ,
"When there are both preserved and unpreserved errors, cumulative-error analysis should proceed as follows: First, the preserved errors should be considered as a group under harmless-error review. If, cumulatively, they are not harmless, reversal is required."
"If the preserved errors are cumulatively harmless, then the court should consider whether those preserved errors, when considered in conjunction with the unpreserved errors, are sufficient to overcome the hurdles necessary to establish plain error."
Mr. Durham cannot show that the combination of the alleged Brady and prosecutorial misconduct errors affected his substantial rights. As discussed above, he suffered minimal (if any) prejudice from the alleged Brady error because defense counsel-through Nurse Dunson-presented an effective rebuttal to Dr. Abdulkadir's testimony based on information that was substantially the same as the withheld evidence. Moreover, the evidence of Mr. Durham's guilt was strong. For example, the trial evidence supporting the jury's verdict included victim testimony and detailed written confessions by Mr. Durham. ROA, Vol. 9 at 8, 15, 16; ROA, Vol. 12 at 658, 1406, 1440, 1458. "Consequently, even if we aggregate the[ ] alleged [ Brady and prosecutorial misconduct] errors, there is no cumulative error." Anaya ,
III. CONCLUSION
We affirm Mr. Durham's convictions and sentence.
"ROA" denotes "Record on Appeal." "TT" denotes "Trial Transcript."
The trial transcript spells Ms. Wambugu's first name as "Josphine," but court records refer to her as "Josephine." See ROA, Vol. 1 at 40. We therefore assume her name is properly spelled "Josephine."
Mr. Durham brings both a facial and an as-applied challenge. See Aplt. Br. at 48. The Government contends he has waived his as-applied challenge, but even if this is so, we may resolve a facial challenge by conducting an as-applied analysis.
We previously have said that "we need not and do not address [a] facial challenge" when "we conclude the as-applied challenge fails." United States v.Morgan ,
We therefore address Mr. Durham's facial challenge through an as-applied analysis. Under § 2423(c), Mr. Durham was convicted of engaging in illicit sexual conduct abroad after traveling in foreign commerce, the paradigmatic conduct targeted under the provision. See, e.g. , United States v. Bollinger ,
Chapter 117 also includes sections on sentencing individuals for such offenses, definitions of illicit sexual activity, and forfeiture options once an individual is convicted. See 18 U.S.C § 2426 (sentencing for repeat offenders);
For a noncommercial sex act, the conduct would also have to "be in violation of Chapter 109A," which contains various sexual abuse offenses. See
In the original 1994 version, § 2423(b) criminalized "any sexual act ... with a person under 18 years of age." See
The 1907 Act also prohibited anyone from "keep[ing], maintain[ing], control[ling], support[ing], or harbor[ing] in any house or other place" women for the purpose of prostitution. § 3, 34 Stat. at 899.
The Mann Act has been recodified and amended as
STPIA's version of the provision read:
(c) Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct in Foreign Places. Any United States citizen or alien admitted for permanent residence who travels in foreign commerce, and engages in any illicit sexual conduct with another person shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 15 years, or both.
H.R. 4477, § 2, 107th Cong. (2002).
Congressional discussion of STPIA also emphasized the size of the international sex trafficking market. Representative Lamar Smith commented that "[t]his world sex market is a multi-billion dollar industry that denies children their rights, their dignity, and their childhood." 148 Cong. Rec. 11,222 (2002).
Section 2423(c)'s more recent legislative history bolsters this understanding. In 2013, Congress passed the, Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act ("VAWRA"), Pub. L. No. 113-4,
Although the Court has discouraged the aggregation of noneconomic activity, it has not prohibited it. In Morrison , the Court did not "adopt a categorical rule against aggregating the effects of any noneconomic activity."
As with the ICC, the Court has recognized that, in addition to delegating express power to regulate foreign commerce, the FCC implicitly restricts the states from regulating foreign commerce. See Japan Line ,
The dissent counters that the "difference in prepositions indicates the opposite." Dissent Op. at 1250. It posits that "[i]f the [FCC] permitted regulation of commerce 'among foreign nations' ... then Congress would be empowered to regulate commerce among France, England, and Italy," suggesting that "among" is broader than "with." Id . But the relevant comparison is not between the FCC's use of "with" and a hypothetical FCC's use of "among." Rather, it is between the FCC's use of "with" and the ICC's use of "among." Looking at these words in context supports our interpretation. In Gibbons , after discussing how "among" prevented Congress from regulating "those [internal concerns] which are completely within a particular State," the Court stated that the phrase "with foreign nations" means "the power of Congress does not stop at the jurisdictional lines of the several States." Gibbons , 22 U.S. at 195. Because "with foreign nations" allows for federal regulation of activity within states without limitation, the Court in Gibbons suggests the phrase confers broader authority. Moreover, the use of "with" in the Indian Commerce Clause suggests broader authority, granting "plenary power" in regulating commerce with Indian tribes. See Lara ,
The dissent starts with a line in Gibbons : "[Commerce] carr[ies] the same meaning throughout the [Commerce Clause] ... unless there be some plain intelligible cause which alters it." Dissent Op. at 1242 (quoting Gibbons , 22 U.S. at 194 ). The dissent also "infer[s] that the same proposition applies to the word regulate in the Clause." Id .
It assumes the Indian Commerce, Foreign Commerce, and Interstate Commerce Clauses convey the same power absent a "plain, intelligible cause." But even though "commerce" and "regulate" may "carry the same meaning" throughout the Commerce Clause, each modifier-Indian, Foreign, and Interstate-and its accompanying preposition-"among" and "with"-describe a different context. See Atlantic Cleaners & Dyers ,
These limits are reflected in the doctrinal framework we draw from the third Lopez category and adapt for the foreign commerce context. See infra Part II.A.4.
To support its foreign state sovereignty theory, the dissent quotes The Schooner Exchange v. McFaddon , 11 U.S. (7 Cranch) 116,
First, The Schooner Exchange established that foreign sovereigns and their instruments may not be hailed into American courts, which hardly speaks to congressional authority to regulate foreign commerce under the FCC. See Verlinden B.V. v. Central Bank of Nigeria ,
Because we determine that § 2423(c) is constitutional under the third category, we need not analyze it under the first and second. We note that § 2423(c) does not regulate the instrumentalities of foreign commerce and that the Third Circuit has upheld the constitutionality of § 2423(c) as a valid regulation of the channels of foreign commerce. See Pendleton,
The dissent also suggests that there must be congressional findings demonstrating that a larger "regulatory scheme could be undercut unless the intrastate activity were regulated ." Dissent Op. at 1260 (quoting Lopez , 514 U.S. at 561,
First, as already stated, "the absence of particularized findings does not call into question Congress'[s] authority to legislate." Raich ,
Second, the legislative history demonstrates that § 2423(c) was an essential part of the broader regulatory scheme. The intent requirement in § 2423(b) was undercutting sex tourism prosecutions. By shedding the mens rea requirement, Congress enabled the prosecution of individuals who travel abroad and have illicit sex-whether commercial or noncommercial-with minors. Congress could rationally believe that without § 2423(c), these same individuals would continue to fuel the international sex tourism market.
We have recently interpreted Raich as supporting congressional "regulation of noncommercial, purely intrastate activity that is an essential part of a broader regulatory scheme that, as a whole, substantially affects interstate commerce (i.e., has a substantial relation to interstate commerce)." PETPO ,
We upheld the provisions because, under Raich , they were "an essential part of the ESA's broader regulatory scheme which, in the aggregate, substantially affects interstate commerce." Id . at 1002. Even though the regulation protecting prairie dogs concerned noncommercial activity, we recognized that Congress had a rational basis to conclude that the regulated activity had a substantial relationship to interstate commerce. "Congress had a rational basis to believe that providing for the regulation of take of purely intrastate species like the Utah prairie dog is essential to the ESA's comprehensive regulatory scheme." Id . at 1006-07.
The Raich Court recognized that Congress exercised its authority under the ICC and the Necessary and Proper Clause to pass "comprehensive legislation to regulate" the illicit substances market. Raich ,
The dissent emphasizes the economic and noneconomic distinction. See Dissent Op. at 1257 ("The fact that noncommercial nonconsensual sexual activity is not economic activity is extremely important, probably dispositive, in determining whether it is subject to the third category of regulation of commerce."). But this distinction arose from federalism concerns in the ICC context, and those concerns do not apply here.
Even in the ICC context, the Court has never "adopt[ed] a categorical rule against aggregating the effects of any noneconomic activity." Morrison ,
The dissent relies on the three-factor framework laid out in Patton , but eschews a holistic analysis. It recognizes that three factors-(1) the activity's relation to commerce, (2) congressional findings, and (3) jurisdictional hook-are relevant to our substantial-effect analysis, see Dissent Op. at 1257-58, but analyzes them separately from each other, see id. at 1258-64. Here, we consider the legislative history, the regulatory scheme, and the jurisdictional hook together in "answer[ing] [the] question" of "whether Congress had a rational basis to find that the regulated activity, taken in the aggregate, would substantially affect interstate commerce." Patton ,
The Ninth Circuit also has upheld § 2423(c) under the FCC in a challenge to the provision's prohibition of commercial illicit sexual conduct. See Clark ,
Mr. Durham also alleged in his initial motion for new trial that the Government violated Brady because it suppressed video data of his conversation with Ms. Menja, in which he confessed to certain allegations against him. The district court rejected this claim, and Mr. Durham has not pursued it on appeal.
The motion also alleged that AUSA Gifford had failed to correct Dr. Abdulkadir's false testimony in violation of Napue v. Illinois ,
In this regard, the concerns of DA Prater and ADA Geiger were well taken. See ROA, Vol. 3, at 813-15.
The Government argues it did not suppress because the defendant knew or could have acquired the information from another source. Aplee. Br. at 22. Due to our disposition of the Brady issue on lack of prejudice, we do not address this argument.
Although Mr. Durham sought to exclude the statement about a temptation to touch children before trial, he does not challenge its admission on appeal.
Although the statements at issue "are party admissions under [Federal Rule of Evidence] 801(d) and thus not hearsay, they must nevertheless also be analyzed for admissibility under Rule 404(b)" because they reference other acts that could have been used as propensity evidence. United States v. Oberle ,
We note the district court offered a limiting instruction on this evidence, which defense counsel rejected. ROA, Vol. 12 at 725-26 (TT 111-12). The instruction likely would have lowered the prejudicial effect of the evidence, and Mr. Durham should not now benefit from declining it.
Mr. Durham does not contend that the district court did not rule on the prosecutorial misconduct ground raised in his motion for a new trial. See Aplt. Br. at 34-39. Regardless of whether the district court ruled on this issue, the record is sufficiently developed to show that any error did not affect Mr. Durham's substantial rights under our plain error standard of review, as we explain below.
Mr. Durham "submits he properly preserved the [issue of prosecutorial misconduct] and that the standard of review is abuse of discretion" because he "raised the issue ... in his motion for new trial." Aplt. Br. at 34. Our precedent forecloses this argument. See Toro-Pelaez ,
Even if we were to conclude that the objections on the ground of repetitiousness sufficed to put the district court on notice that defense counsel believed the Government was making a propensity argument, Mr. Durham would still not be entitled to relief. Our reasons, discussed below, for determining that any error in the prosecution's questioning did not affect Mr. Durham's substantial rights would also persuade us that any error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.
Mr. Durham's argument assumes that the jury harbored biases about sexual orientation. He has not provided any evidence that it did, but to the extent his assumption holds, we nevertheless conclude Mr. Durham has not shown that any error affected his substantial rights, as we explain below.
Gov't Exh. 3, 1 minute, 49 seconds (preliminary conversation); Gov't Exh. 4, 12 minutes 10 seconds (Mr. Durham describing his interactions with various children); Gov't Exh. 5, 29 seconds (Mr. Durham calling his mother to discuss his actions); Gov't Exh. 6, 20 seconds (Mr. Durham writing out his interactions with various children); Gov't Exh. 7, 10 seconds (another video of Mr. Durham writing out his interactions with various children.)
Mr. Durham also renewed his motion for an "expedited chain of custody hearing." ROA, Vol. 2 at 533 (capitalization altered).
Defense counsel described a "logical image" as "a smaller portion of a forensic image." ROA, Vol. 12 at 595.
On cross-examination, Mr. Durham's counsel asked Ms. Menja about the context of the videos and why some were started or stopped when they were, but not about alterations. ROA, Vol. 12, at 893-961.
No chain of custody analysis was necessary given that Ms. Menja's testimony provided a foundation for the video, which was "unique, readily identifiable and relatively resistant to change." Cardenas ,
Mr. Durham's hearsay argument in his opening brief consists of two sentences: "The PRC Forms and clinician notes contain information relayed by the patient or third parties. This constitutes inadmissible double hearsay. See United States v. Gwathney ,
Mr. Durham cites United States v. Gwathney ,
Mr. Durham raises a new argument in reply that, to the extent his counsel invited error, his counsel was ineffective. Aplt. Reply Br. at 21. Because that argument was not raised in his opening brief, it is waived. See Silverton Snowmobile Club v. U.S. Forest Serv. ,
The PSR calculated Mr. Durham's total offense level to be 49 and his criminal history category to be I. ROA, Vol. 7 at 135, 136. Under the Guidelines, an offense level exceeding 43, the highest offense level reflected in the sentencing table, "is to be treated as an offense level of 43." U.S.S.G. Ch. 5, Pt. A (Sentencing Table), Application Note 3. The Guidelines recommend a sentence of "life" for a defendant with an offense level of 43, regardless of the criminal history category. See U.S.S.G. Ch. 5, Pt. A (Sentencing Table). The probation officer who prepared Mr. Durham's PSR, after consulting with the United States Sentencing Commission, arrived at a Guidelines sentence of 1,440 months to be consistent with the cumulative statutory maximum sentence for the four counts of conviction. ROA, Vol. 7 at 142 n.3. Under these circumstances, the PSR calculated a recommended Guidelines sentence rather than a sentence range.
Based on its finding that Mr. Durham had committed perjury at trial, the district court applied a two-level enhancement for obstruction of justice, bringing Mr. Durham's offense level to 51. ROA, Vol. 7 at 475. Because the offense level calculated in the PSR already exceeded the maximum offense level of 43, the two-level enhancement had no effect on the recommended Guidelines sentence.
The 480-month sentence consists of 360 months on each of the four counts of conviction, running partially consecutively and partially concurrently to achieve the total sentence of 480 months. ROA, Vol. 3 at 844; ROA, Vol. 13 at 158-59.
Courts must consider the following factors in imposing a sentence:
(1) the nature and circumstances of the offense and the history and characteristics of the defendant;
(2) the need for the sentence imposed-
(A) to reflect the seriousness of the offense, to promote respect for the law, and to provide just punishment for the offense;
(B) to afford adequate deterrence to criminal conduct;
(C) to protect the public from further crimes of the defendant; and
(D) to provide the defendant with needed educational or vocational training, medical care, or other correctional treatment in the most effective manner;
(3) the kinds of sentences available;
(4) [the applicable Guidelines recommended kind and range of sentence];
(5) [any pertinent Guidelines policy statements];
(6) the need to avoid unwarranted sentence disparities among defendants with similar records who have been found guilty of similar conduct; and
(7) the need to provide restitution to any victims of the offense.
18 U.S.C. § 3553 (a).
Mr. Durham's sentence of 480 months is less than the recommended Guidelines sentence of 1,440 months, as determined by the district court. Whether we characterize Mr. Durham's sentence as within or below the Guidelines range, it is entitled to a presumption of reasonableness. See Kristl ,
In any event, we are not persuaded that the Commission has "state[d] that a life sentence is the equivalent of 470 months." Aplt. Br. at 58. Mr. Durham cites an online publication entitled the "Variable Codebook for Individual Offenders."
We "include[ ] [Brady claims] in the cumulative-error calculus if they have been individually denied for insufficient prejudice." Cargle v. Mullin ,
In our above discussion of the prosecutorial misconduct claim, we "did not determine whether [the] alleged errors constituted actual errors but instead concluded that any potential errors did not merit reversal because they did not affect the outcome of Mr. [Durham's] case." Anaya ,
Dissenting Opinion
In 2014, Defendant, 19 years old at the time, made his fourth missionary trip from the United States to Kenya to volunteer at a home for impoverished children. A jury acquitted him of traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. But he did engage in illicit sexual conduct after his travel to Kenya. While living at the home, he sexually assaulted a number of the boys and girls he was supposed to be helping. Kenyan police said they could not arrest him, and he was permitted to return to the United States. A federal jury convicted him of the offenses he committed after he arrived in Kenya.
Defendant's offenses were horrific. The only question is whether the United States *1241could properly prosecute him. The government asserts that Congress had the authority to criminalize Defendant's behavior under the Constitution's Foreign Commerce Clause because such conduct has a substantial effect on foreign commerce. The panel majority agrees. I respectfully dissent.
The only foreign "commerce" identified by the government is commercial sex trafficking of children. I do not dispute that such trafficking is within the purview of the Foreign Commerce Clause.
In my view, the Foreign Commerce Clause does not authorize Congress to prohibit noncommercial sexual assaults, no matter how heinous, committed by Americans abroad who formed the intent to commit the acts after arriving abroad. The Interstate Commerce Clause would not permit Congress to prohibit noncommercial sexual assaults within a State, even if the perpetrator had traveled from another State, so long as the perpetrator did not form the intent to commit the act before arriving in the State where the crime was perpetrated. The majority suggests that even if the Interstate Commerce Clause would not authorize the domestic statute, a statute governing conduct abroad would be valid under the Foreign Commerce Clause because it conveys more expansive power than does the Interstate Commerce Clause and the Foreign Commerce Clause is not limited by concerns about state sovereignty. But these suggestions are not persuasive. The limits on congressional authority under the Interstate Commerce Clause are based on the Supreme Court's understanding of what it means to regulate commerce and the understanding that provisions of a constitution creating a government of limited power should not be interpreted in a way that would confer general police power. Although federal power under the Foreign Commerce Clause exceeds that under the Interstate Commerce Clause in some respects-in particular, the Foreign Commerce Clause restricts state regulation of foreign commerce because of the need for this country to speak with one voice in foreign affairs-this additional power is irrelevant in the present context.
This dissent will travel much of the same ground as the panel opinion. But, as might be expected, my description of the terrain will be somewhat different.
I. The Charge
Defendant was convicted under
The question before the court is whether the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations includes the power to punish Americans who traveled to a foreign nation and then, in what was not a commercial sex act, decided to and did molest a child there. To answer the question requires a deep dive into the Foreign Commerce Clause.
II. The Commerce Clause
The Constitution grants Congress the power "[t]o regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes." U.S. Const. art.1, § 8, cl. 3. Almost two centuries ago Chief Justice Marshall noted the commonality of the three clauses within the Commerce Clause-the Foreign Commerce Clause, the Interstate Commerce Clause, and the Indian Commerce Clause-in an opinion construing the meaning of the Interstate Commerce Clause. He wrote, "It has been truly said, that commerce, as the word is used in the constitution, is a unit, every part of which is indicated by the term." Gibbons v. Ogden , 22 U.S. (9 Wheat.) 1, 194,
A. The Indian Commerce Clause
The constitutional provision containing the Interstate Commerce Clause and the Foreign Commerce Clause also grants congressional power "[t]o regulate Commerce ... with the Indian Tribes." U.S. Const. art. 1, § 8, cl. 3. The Supreme Court has described the federal power "to legislate in respect to Indian tribes ... as plenary and exclusive." United States v. Lara ,
On closer inspection, however, the comparison cannot be sustained. Although the Indian Commerce Clause was juxtaposed with the other two commerce clauses, it was a late add-on at the constitutional convention, see Albert S. Abel, The Commerce Clause in the Constitutional Convention and in Contemporary Comment ,
Moreover, congressional power over Indian tribes does not derive just from the Commerce Clause. As additional sources of "plenary and exclusive" power with respect to Indian tribes, which have been described by the Court as "dependent sovereign[s]" that are not States, Lara ,
B. The Interstate Commerce Clause
The component of the Commerce Clause that has bred the most Supreme Court doctrine is the Interstate Commerce *1244Clause. Although, as Chief Justice Marshall suggested, special considerations pertinent to each clause preclude mechanical application to one clause of doctrine regarding another, I first consider interstate-commerce doctrine and then address what, if any, adjustments are needed.
I begin with propositions regarding interstate commerce that are derived from notions of international commerce. Chief Justice Marshall's description of commerce was adopted by Chief Justice Rehnquist in United States v. Lopez ,
It is not intended to say that these words comprehend that commerce, which is completely internal, which is carried on between man and man in a State, or between different parts of the same State, and which does not extend to or affect other States. Such a power would be inconvenient, and is certainly unnecessary.
... The enumeration presupposes something not enumerated; and that something, if I regard the language, or the subject of the sentence, must be the exclusively internal commerce of a State.
Id . (quoting Gibbons , 22 U.S. at 194-95 ). In recognition of these limitations, the Supreme Court has identified "three categories of regulations permitted by the Interstate Commerce Clause: (1) regulation of " 'use of the channels of interstate commerce' "; (2) regulation of " 'instrumentalities of interstate commerce, or persons or things in interstate commerce' "; and (3) regulation of " 'activities that substantially affect interstate commerce.' " People for Ethical Treatment of Prop. Owners v. United States Fish & Wildlife Serv. ,
Under the first category Congress can bar a class of goods or people from the channels of commerce because they are deemed to be tainted by "immoral [or] injurious uses." United States v. Patton ,
Under the second category Congress can regulate "the means of interstate commerce"-such as ships, railroads, airplanes, and the telegraph; can regulate "intrastate activities that threaten these instrumentalities"; and can protect "the persons or things that the instrumentalities are moving." Patton ,
Under the third category Congress can regulate activities, even intrastate and noncommercial activities, if "Congress ha[s] a rational basis to find that the regulated activity, taken in the aggregate, would substantially affect interstate commerce." Patton ,
When the regulated activity is commercial, the regulation is generally permissible, given how integrated our national economy is. See
It is important to keep in mind this limitation on the third category of regulation under the Commerce Clause-the regulation of activities that substantially affect interstate commerce-when considering the scope of the first two categories-(1) the regulation of the use of the channels of commerce and (2) the regulation of the instrumentalities of commerce and persons or things in interstate commerce. The first two categories are qualitatively different from the third. "The first two categories are self-evident, since they are the ingredients of interstate commerce itself." Raich ,
Finally, one aspect of the Supreme Court's three-part test is often overlooked. The division of interstate-commerce regulation into three categories is less a policy matter than it is definitional. To my knowledge, no one has suggested that there is some other type of possible regulation outside of those categories. Controversy concerns only whether one of those types of regulation is permitted at all by the Constitution, see Nat'l Fed'n of Indep. Bus. v. Sebelius ,
C. The Foreign Commerce Clause
I next consider how much of this Interstate Commerce Clause doctrine translates to the Foreign Commerce Clause. How much of the doctrine should be carried over and how much is not applicable because of some special consideration-that *1247is, in the words of Ogden, 22 U.S. at 194, because of some "plain intelligible cause"? In particular, how should one analyze congressional authority under the Foreign Commerce Clause over conduct of Americans abroad, as in the case before us?
The critical question is when, if ever, the terms commerce and regulate have a different meaning under the Foreign Commerce Clause than they do under the Interstate Commerce Clause. As previously noted, Chief Justice Marshall indicated the general rule that they are understood as having the same meaning in the foreign and domestic context, saying: "Commerce, undoubtedly, is traffic, but it is something more: it is intercourse. It describes the commercial intercourse between nations, and parts of nations, in all its branches, and is regulated by prescribing rules for carrying on that intercourse." Gibbons , 22 U.S. at 189-90. Unfortunately, however, there are no Supreme Court opinions on whether the terms have distinct meetings in the context of regulation of the conduct of Americans abroad.
The Court's only decisions on the Foreign Commerce Clause have concerned the scope of the Clause with respect to conduct within the borders of the United States and, consequently, the relative powers of the federal and state governments under the Clause. Typical of the early opinions interpreting the Clause, in Board of Trustees of University of Illinois v. United States ,
Fifty years later, in Japan Line, Ltd. v. County of Los Angeles ,
There was no question that the activity at issue in Japan Line s was regulation of foreign commerce. The question was the extent to which the States shared this regulatory power with the federal government. What the Court held was that the dormant Foreign Commerce Clause limited the powers of States to regulate foreign commerce more than the Interstate Commerce Clause limits the powers of States *1248to regulate interstate commerce. Indeed, the Court assumed that the California tax would be lawful if applied to goods transported in interstate commerce. Under the dormant Interstate Commerce Clause test set forth in Complete Auto Transit, Inc. v. Brady ,
One sentence in Japan Line requires careful analysis. In discussing the need for national uniformity with respect to foreign commerce, the Court said, "Although the Constitution, Art. I, § 8, cl. 3, grants Congress power to regulate commerce 'with foreign Nations' and 'among the several States' in parallel phrases, there is evidence that the Founders intended the scope of the foreign commerce power to be the greater." Id. at 448,
*1249This construction of the meaning of the comment in Japan Line s is consistent with the "evidence" that the Court referred to in its footnote. See
The Court's footnote also cites a law-review article as "concluding, after an exhaustive survey of contemporary materials: 'Despite the formal parallelism of the grants, there is no tenable reason for believing that anywhere nearly so large a range of action was given over commerce "among the several states" as over that "with foreign nations." ' "
The panel opinion suggests that the text of the Commerce Clause indicates that power under the Foreign Commerce Clause exceeds that under the Interstate Commerce Clause. See Maj. Op. at 1201-02. It notes that the Clause speaks of commerce "with foreign Nations" but "among the several States." But the difference in prepositions indicates the opposite. If the Clause permitted regulation of commerce "among foreign nations"-so that the two clauses used the same preposition-then Congress would be empowered to regulate commerce among France, England, and Italy, even if the United States were not involved at all. Thus, use of the preposition with instead of the preposition among obviously limits the extent of the Foreign Commerce Clause. See Colangelo supra at 970-71 (explaining the difference between the uses of the two prepositions in the Commerce Clause).
In short, the greater-power statement by the Supreme Court in Japan Line should not be overread. The statement was made in the context of the assertion that the need for national uniformity under the Foreign Commerce Clause could require greater limitations on state action than would the Interstate Commerce Clause alone. As Justice Thomas has observed:
This Court's statements about the comparative breadth of the Foreign Commerce Clause are of questionable relevance where the issue is Congress' power to regulate, or even criminalize, conduct within another nation's sovereign territory. ... [E]ven if the foreign commerce power were broader than the interstate commerce power as understood at the founding, it would not follow that the foreign commerce power is broader than the interstate commerce power as this Court now construes it.
Baston v. United States , --- U.S. ----,
This is not to say that national powers under the Foreign Commerce Clause and the Interstate Commerce Clause must be identical. After all, Japan Line makes clear that they are not. When it comes to state taxation of commerce, there are "plain intelligible cause[s]," Gibbons , 22 U.S. at 194, why States must be more limited in taxing foreign commerce than in taxing interstate commerce. For one thing, there is the need for the nation to speak with one voice in relations with other countries. That "cause," however, has no purchase in this case. The statutory provision under which Defendant was convicted was hardly animated by any perceived need to *1251prevent the various States from engaging in conflicting policies toward foreign nations.
The panel opinion also suggests that some interstate-commerce doctrine-in particular, the gloss presented in Lopez and Morrison - does not apply because the limits on interstate-commerce power in that doctrine reflect concerns for the sovereignty of the States, concerns not present in foreign-commerce doctrine. But surely there is no reason to define the terms commerce and regulate more broadly in the foreign-commerce context than in the interstate-commerce context. And the majority's approach overlooks a key principle underlying Lopez and Morrison : The Court's concern was not just that an overbroad conception of the interstate-commerce clause would give the federal government authority that could override police powers held by the States; it also expressed a fundamental concern that an overbroad conception would give the federal government general police powers, contrary to the constitutional framework of a federal government of limited power. See, e.g. , Lopez , 514 U.S. at 564,
The real danger lies in overbroad application of the third type of regulation under the Commerce Clause: the regulation of activities that substantially affect commerce. Given the reality that in modern times every activity can be said to have some effect on commerce, courts must set reasonable limits on the meaning of "substantial effect" or concede that the vision of a Constitution of limited powers, see, e.g. , U.S. Const. amend. X, is a mirage and anything can be justified under the Commerce Clause. The power under the Foreign Commerce Clause is one of the limited powers granted to Congress by the Constitution. Courts should not construe it in a way that would amount to ceding to Congress a general police power over Americans with respect to all conduct beyond our shores.
Unlike the Supreme Court doctrine that the Foreign Commerce Clause embodies the concept that the country should speak with one voice in foreign affairs, which is firmly supported by evidence from the Founding, there is nothing-at least nothing brought to my attention or that I have found-suggesting that the Framers held any idea remotely like the possibility that the Foreign Commerce Clause would provide plenary power to police the behavior of Americans in foreign countries. Rather, the evidence is to the contrary. As Chief Justice Marshall explained:
The jurisdiction of the nation within its own territory is necessarily exclusive and absolute. It is susceptible of no limitation not imposed by itself. Any restriction upon it, deriving validity from an external source, would imply a diminution of its sovereignty to the extent of the restriction, and an investment of *1252that sovereignty to the same extent in that power which could impose such restriction.
All exceptions, therefore, to the full and complete power of a nation within its own territories, must be traced up to the consent of the nation itself. They can flow from no other legitimate source.
The Schooner Exch. v. McFaddon , 11 U.S. (
Congress ... may regulate by law our own Trade and that which foreigners come to carry on with us, but they [that is, Congress] cannot regulate the Trade which we may go to carry on in foreign countries, they can give to us no rights, no privileges there. This must depend on the will and regulation of those countries; and consequently it is the province of the power of Treaty to establish the rule of commercial intercourse between foreign nations and the U[nited] States. The Legislature may regulate our own Trade but Treaty only can regulate the mutual Trade between our own and another Country.
Alexander Hamilton, The Defence No. XXXVI (Jan. 2, 1796), in 20 The Papers of Alexander Hamilton (Harold C. Syrett ed. 1974), available at http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-20-02-0002
These views of the exclusivity of sovereign jurisdiction are overstated, at least under current international law. I recognize that international law now generally permits a nation "to prescribe law with respect to ... the activities, interests, status, or relations of its nationals outside as well as within its territory." Restatement (Third) of the Foreign Relations Law of the United States § 402 (1986) ; see United States v. Mitchell ,
Indeed, Japan Line based its limitations on state power imposed by the Foreign Commerce Clause in part on the recognition of the limits of the federal government's power in other countries. When foreign commerce is taxed by the States, the Supreme Court cannot prevent multiple taxation by requiring apportionment of the taxes by the sovereignties imposing them, as the Court can when only interstate commerce is involved, because the Court has no authority over foreign governments. See
Further, the Tenth Amendment-"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people"-emphasizes that exceeding power under the Foreign Commerce Clause infringes on the rights of the people. See Al-Maliki ,
I should emphasize that the point I am making is a limited one. I am not saying that the Constitution forbids the exercise of any power over conduct in other nations. For one thing, constitutional provisions other than the Foreign Commerce Clause can be the source of such power. And my view does not totally foreclose the exercise of such power under the Foreign Commerce Clause, even as authority for other provisions of the PROTECT Act. For example, what I am saying does not call into question the constitutionality of the prohibition on travel to a foreign country with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct (the charge Defendant was acquitted of) or the prohibition on engaging in commercial illicit sexual conduct after travel to a foreign country. I am merely rejecting the notion that because the Foreign Commerce Clause overrides state sovereignty, the power under the Clause to regulate conduct in foreign nations is unconstrained.
To summarize, absent some "plain, intelligible cause"-such as the need for the nation to speak with one voice in foreign affairs or the limits of national power in a foreign country-I shall assume that the *1254language "to regulate commerce" has the same meaning in the Foreign Commerce Clause as in the Interstate Commerce Clause. In particular, I borrow jurisprudence regarding the Interstate Commerce Clause in two respects. First, since the power of Congress under both that clause and the Foreign Commerce Clause is "[t]o regulate Commerce," I can adopt the Interstate Commerce Clause doctrine interpreting that language to encompass three types of regulation: regulation of the channels of commerce, regulation of the instrumentalities of commerce, and regulation of activities that substantially affect commerce. See Gonzales ,
Second, I adopt the limiting principle employed by the Court in the interstate-commerce context that the power conferred by the Clause cannot be construed so broadly as to encompass everything that can somehow be causally connected to commerce. Such a construction would be contrary to any notion of the Constitution as the source of only enumerated powers. See Morrison ,
III. Application of Foreign Commerce Clause to This Case
I now proceed to consider whether § 2423(c), as applied to noncommercial illicit sexual conduct, can be justified under the Foreign Commerce Clause as one of the three types of permissible regulation.
A. Channels of Commerce
As discussed at length earlier in this opinion, the Commerce Clause grants Congress the authority "to keep the channels of interstate commerce free from immoral and injurious uses." Caminetti ,
That channels authority does not extend to the conduct for which Defendant was convicted. I can assume that it extends to the conduct for which the jury found Defendant not guilty-traveling in [foreign commerce] with the intent to commit illicit sexual conduct. But absent that intent, Defendant could not be distinguished from any ordinary international traveler. The channels of foreign commerce were free of immoral and injurious uses since his intent was not found to be corrupt. He was not tainted at the time of travel. Cf. Patton ,
The government nevertheless suggests that this court is bound to hold that the statutory provision before us constitutes channels regulation because of our conclusion in United States v. Hinckley,
SORNA is a comfortable fit as channels regulation. The person subject to regulation is a person who can be identified while in the channels of commerce-the person has been convicted of a sexual offense. Such persons can be considered tainted things traveling in the channels of interstate commerce. And the SORNA registration requirement is an incidental condition for permitting such persons to travel in those channels. See United States v. Anderson ,
The government has not offered any principled basis, or any basis for that matter, for upholding channels-of-commerce authority for Defendant's offense that would not permit Congress to subject an American to federal prosecution for any offense committed abroad. Congress could penalize an American who traveled abroad and committed fraud, gambled (even if lawful where conducted), or merely littered. The federal government would have plenary police power over all Americans anywhere in the world. This cannot be the product of a Constitution of limited powers. I respectfully disagree with the Third Circuit's reliance on the above-cited channel-of-commerce cases to sustain a similar conviction. See Pendleton ,
B. Instrumentalities of Commerce and Persons or Things in Commerce
Lopez held that "Congress is empowered to regulate and protect the instrumentalities of interstate commerce, or persons or things in interstate commerce, even though the threat may come only from intrastate activities." 514 U.S. at 558,
Although we stated in passing in Hinckley ,
C. Substantial Effects on Commerce
The final source of congressional authority over commerce is the power to regulate "activities that substantially affect interstate [or foreign] commerce." Lopez , 514 U.S. at 559,
The fact that noncommercial nonconsensual sexual activity is not economic activity is extremely important, probably dispositive, in determining whether it is subject to the third category of regulation of commerce. The Supreme Court thus far has upheld under the third category only regulation of economic activity. See Raich ,
To be sure, the term illicit sexual conduct in § 2423 does include economic, even commercial, activity. But the broad statutory definition of the term cannot change the nature of every activity within the definition. Suppose the Controlled Substances Act also prohibited jogging (because it can produce a runner's high ). That would not place jogging within the "economic class of activities" of controlled substances and thereby allow the prohibition. Cf. Sebelius ,
But even if noncommercial illicit sexual conduct could be regulated if it has a substantial effect on commerce, there is no reason to believe that it has such an effect. As noted earlier, the Supreme Court has examined three factors in conducting a substantial-effect analysis: the relation of the regulated activity to commerce; congressional findings about the activity's effects on commerce; and the presence in the statute of an express jurisdictional element limiting the reach of the statute. See Morrison ,
1. Relation of Activity to Commerce
Noncommercial activity can affect commerce. The Supreme Court has recognized, for example, that if the activity involves a good that is identical to (fungible with) goods in commerce, regulation may be permissible. (Do not forget, though, that activity with respect to goods is "economic" activity. See Raich ,
Six decades later, the Supreme Court addressed a challenge to the federal ban on marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The CSA, said the Court, "regulates the production, distribution, and consumption of commodities for which there is an established, and lucrative, interstate market." Raich ,
Relying on Wickard and Raich , the government argues that the PROTECT Act is within congressional power because it was *1259enacted "to close the child-sex-tourism market." Aplee. Br. at 62. That rationale may well suffice with respect to the provision of the Act barring commercial sex. But the analogy to Wickard and Raich fails when it comes to the provision of the Act under which Defendant was convicted. The regulated activities in Wickard and Raich may not have been commerce, but they were economic. Defendant's illicit sexual conduct, in contrast, was not. To advance regulatory authority from commerce to economic activity is one thing. The step from economic activity to noneconomic activity may be a step too far. See Morrison ,
In any event, the government has not offered any reason to believe that control of noneconomic sex abuse will affect the market in commercial sex trafficking. When dealing with fungible commodities the connection is clear. See Raich ,
In upholding the regulations in Wickard and Raich , the Supreme Court was dealing with fungible commodities. See Raich ,
Nor is it enough simply to point to the substantial effect on commerce of a great deal of activity regulated by a statute and then justify regulation of additional activity that is pasted into the statute on the ground that it is "part of a larger regulation of economic activity." Maj. Op. at 1208, 1211 (internal quotation marks omitted). The fully stated proposition is that conduct that otherwise could not be regulated can be regulated if it is "an essential part of a larger regulation of economic activity, in which the regulatory scheme could be undercut unless the intrastate activity were regulated ." Lopez, 514 U.S. at 561,
Translating that precedent to the case before us, regulation of the conduct at issue here is proper only if such regulation is "an essential part" of the regulation of commercial sex tourism because failure to control noncommercial illicit sexual conduct would "undercut" that regulation. Yet neither the government brief nor the panel opinion explains how this is the case. When products are fungible, the connection is commonsensical. But the tie between commercial sex with children and noncommercial nonconsensual sexual assault is a mystery. Nor is the mystery resolved by any findings by Congress, the subject to which I now turn.
2. Congressional Findings
Congressional findings about the effects of the prohibited activity on commerce can inform the analysis. See Lopez , 514 U.S. at 562,
The panel opinion discusses at length the long history of federal legislation governing interstate and international travel for sex offenses. The great bulk of that history is irrelevant because it does not speak to the specific regulation at issue here. See Lopez , 514 U.S. at 563,
Many developing countries have fallen prey to the serious problem of international sex tourism. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, child-sex tourism is a major component of the worldwide sexual exploitation of children and is increasing. There are more than 100 web sites devoted to promoting teenage commercial sex in Asia alone. Because poor countries are often under economic pressure to develop tourism, those governments often turn a blind eye toward this devastating problem because of the income it produces. Children around the world have become trapped and exploited by the sex tourism industry.
There would be no need for a sex tourism statute if foreign countries successfully prosecuted U.S. citizens or resident aliens for the child sex crimes committed within their borders. However, for reasons ranging from ineffective law enforcement, lack of resources, corruption, and generally immature legal systems, sex tourists often escape prosecution in the host countries. It is in those instances that the United States has an interest in pursuing criminal charges in the United States.
The Justice Department, Federal law enforcement agencies, the State Department and other U.S. entities expend significant resources assisting foreign countries most afflicted with sex tourism to improve their domestic response to such criminal offenses. Our assistance encompasses informal as well as formal training of foreign law enforcement officers and prosecutors in the investigation and prosecution of sex tourism crimes. By and large these countries reach out to the United States for help and some even blame the United States for the problem, "arguing" that many of the sex tourists are American. Some of the foreign or "host" countries experiencing significant problems with sex tourism, such as Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Thailand and the Philippines, have requested that the United States act to deal with this growing problem.
Current law requires the Government to prove that the defendant traveled to a foreign country with the intent to engage in sex with a minor. H.R. 4477 eliminates the intent requirement where *1262the defendant completes the travel and actually engages in the illicit sexual activity with a minor. The bill also criminalizes the actions of sex tour operators by prohibiting persons from arranging, inducing, procuring, or facilitating the travel of a person knowing that such a person is traveling in interstate or foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. This legislation will close significant loopholes in the law that persons who travel to foreign countries seeking sex with children are currently using to their advantage in order to avoid prosecution.
H.R. Rep. 107-525, at 2-3 (2002).
What is notably missing from these findings is any statement, much less evidence, regarding the impact of noncommercial illicit sexual activity by international travelers on commercial illicit sexual activity. While the above findings may support the constitutionality of a ban on commercial sex acts with children in foreign countries, they say nothing about the effects on foreign commerce of noncommercial nonconsensual molestation of children abroad. There were no findings that noncommercial offenses affect the child-sex market, or even that Congress cannot adequately control commercial offenses unless it also prohibits noncommercial offenses. It is as if when Congress enacted § 2423(c) to eliminate the requirement that a defendant travel in interstate commerce with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct , it was so focused on those who engage in commercial illicit sexual conduct that it overlooked the impact of the change on the prohibition of noncommercial illicit sexual conduct.
In its congressional-findings argument the government also relies on the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child regarding the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, stating that "[t]he PROTECT Act was ... passed as part of the United States' obligation under the Optional Protocol." Aplee. Br. at 60. The government apparently seeks to impute the reasons that the United States ratified that treaty to Congress's decision to enact the PROTECT Act. (It does not argue that any part of the PROTECT Act was enacted under the authority of the Constitution's Treaty Clause, U.S. Const. art. II, § 2, cl. 2.) I question whether one should consider the Optional Protocol in this context because Congress never mentioned it in the texts or legislative histories of the PROTECT Act or STPIA. But even if one were to do so, the government's reliance would be misplaced. The Optional Protocol covers only commercial sex offenses against children; it says nothing about the effects of noncommercial sex offenses on foreign commerce. See Reed ,
Thus, the congressional findings "do not speak to the subject matter of [the provision under which Defendant was convicted] or its relationship to [foreign] commerce." Lopez,
3. Express Jurisdictional Element
There remains the one factor that could support congressional power to punish Defendant's offense under the substantial-effects rationale: "travel[ing] in foreign commerce or resid[ing], either temporarily or permanently, in a foreign country" is an express element of
In my view, the jurisdictional hook here does not do the trick. I have already expressed why I believe that the government has not shown any connection between noncommercial illicit sexual conduct committed by Americans who traveled abroad and commercial illicit sexual conduct (the only type of "commerce" that it would allegedly affect). More important are the ramifications of relying on this jurisdictional hook. I do not see, nor has the government provided, a principled way to distinguish the use of this hook to justify the statutory provisions under which Defendant was convicted from the use of an identical hook that would permit Congress to prohibit any misconduct by Americans abroad, from gambling (even if lawful in the country where conducted) to jaywalking. All that would be needed is to add the hook that the defendant had traveled in foreign commerce. At the least there should be evidence or a congressional finding, not just speculation, of a direct, not "attenuated," effect on commercial activity. Morrison ,
True, Patton recognized the tension between the analysis of the Interstate Commerce Clause in Lopez and Morrison and the Supreme Court's decision in Scarborough v. United States ,
But Scarborough cannot be extended so far as to encompass the statute before us. The jurisdictional hook in Scarborough was interstate travel by a commodity, not by a person, and certainly not by a person like Defendant-who had not engaged in any activity before or during the travel that would distinguish him or her from any other person. If Scarborough stands for the proposition that the Interstate Commerce Clause authorizes Congress to prohibit any activity occurring after personal travel in interstate commerce, then it provides a general police power to the federal government that would erase the "distinction between what is truly national and what is truly local." Lopez ,
To sum up, there can be little question that a statutory provision otherwise identical to the one on which Defendant was convicted could not pass muster under the Interstate Commerce Clause if travel in interstate commerce were substituted for travel in foreign commerce. He did not engage in economic activity, and there is no reason to believe that activity like his has a substantial effect on commerce. Nor can the provision be upheld under the Foreign Commerce Clause merely on the unfocused proposition that congressional power under that clause is greater than the power provided by the Interstate Commerce Clause. To uphold the provision, the Foreign Commerce Clause would need to be interpreted to confer congressional power to regulate all conduct of Americans while abroad. Nothing suggests that the Framers had any such concept of the Clause; on the contrary, the evidence suggests that such power would seem most strange to them. Moreover, such a power would be wholly inappropriate under a Constitution of conferred, limited power.
I therefore would hold that the statutory provisions under which Defendant was convicted cannot be justified under the Foreign Commerce Clause. At the very least, § 2423(c) is unconstitutional as applied in this case. Not only is it uncontroverted that Defendant was not a sex tourist, he was not even a tourist. The government does not suggest that he had any tie to commercial sex trafficking. The connection between his kind of offense and sex tourism is far too attenuated to support regulation under the Foreign Commerce Clause.
I agree with Judge Ferguson: "The sexual abuse of children abroad is despicable, but we should not, and need not, refashion our Constitution to address it." Clark ,
The Supreme Court has provided little, if any, guidance regarding congressional power under the Foreign Commerce Clause to regulate the conduct of Americans abroad. If the Court believes that it is appropriate to cabin that power, this may be as good a vehicle as any to convey the message.
For the above reasons, I respectfully dissent.
Congress may also have authority over such trafficking under the Treaty Clause, because this country has ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child regarding the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography. But the government has not relied on the Treaty Clause in this case and the Optional Protocol addresses only commercial activity.
Subsection (b) states:
Travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.-A person who travels in interstate commerce or travels into the United States, or a United States citizen or an alien admitted for permanent residence in the United States who travels in foreign commerce, for the purpose of engaging in any illicit sexual conduct with another person shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both.
This subsection replaced a somewhat narrower version in the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, Pub. L. No. 103-322,
Subsection (c) states:
Engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places.-Any United States citizen or alien admitted for permanent residence who travels in foreign commerce or resides, either temporarily or permanently, in a foreign country, and engages in any illicit sexual conduct with another person shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both.
Subsection (f) states:
Definition.-As used in this section, the term "illicit sexual conduct" means-
(1) a sexual act (as defined in section 2246) with a person under 18 years of age that would be in violation of chapter 109A if the sexual act occurred in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States;
(2) any commercial sex act (as defined in section 1591 ) with a person under 18 years of age; or
(3) production of child pornography (as defined in section 256(8) ).
The essay also notes the role played by the Interstate Commerce Clause in facilitating foreign commerce: "[I]t may be added, that without this supplemental provision [the Interstate Commerce Clause], the great and essential power of regulating foreign commerce would have been incomplete and ineffectual. A very material object of this power was the relief of the States which import and export to other States, from the improper contribution levied on them by the latter." The Federalist No. 42 at 235. An 1829 letter from James Madison cited in the Japan Line footnote also states this purpose for the Interstate Commerce Clause. Again, the point being made is the need for exclusive federal power.
The Japan Line footnote also cited two student notes that do not affect the analysis.
I am perplexed by the statement: " 'Among' in the [Interstate Commerce Clause] restrains Congress in regulating intrastate matters-a constraint not present in the [Foreign Commerce Clause]." Maj. Op. at 1202. Since the Foreign Commerce Clause requires that the commerce be that of a foreign country with the United States, it obviously restrains the application of that Clause within a foreign country.
The panel opinion points to an additional passage from earlier in Hamilton's essay: "[A nation's] power to make laws ... acts compulsively upon all persons, whether foreigners or Citizens, and upon all things, within its territory, and it acts in like manner upon its own citizens and their property without its territory in certain cases and under certain limitations. But it can have no obligatory action whatsoever upon a foreign nation or any person or thing within the jurisdiction of such foreign Nation." The Defence . The panel opinion reads this passage as permitting prosecution for acts in another country so long as the prosecution occurs here. See Maj. Op. 1205 n.17. This is not an unreasonable interpretation if the passage is read in isolation, although such a prosecution would seem to contradict the notion expressed by Hamilton that a nation cannot impose obligations on someone (that is, on his or her conduct) while in a foreign jurisdiction. But in any event, any ambiguity in this passage is resolved by the later passage quoted in the above text, which says that Congress "cannot regulate the trade which we may go to carry on in foreign countries." The Defence .