Opinion ID: 600301
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: CONSTITUTIONALITY OF SECTION 1956(a)(3)(B)

Text: 40 Kaufmann attacks the constitutionality of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(3)(B), contending that the statute is both overbroad and void for vagueness.
41 A facial challenge to the breadth of a statute may be brought when First Amendment rights are at stake. Kaufmann contends that his first amendment rights to freedom of association and freedom of expression are at stake here. In response, the Government argues that the interest Kaufmann seeks to protect is merely the ability to conduct a business transaction. 42 There are two lines of cases where a possible impairment of the right to freedom of association is considered: (1) where certain intimate human relationships or a fundamental element of personal liberty are at stake; or (2) where the right to associate for the purpose of engaging in activities protected by the first amendment are involved--i.e., speech, assembly, petition for redress of grievances, or religion. See Roberts v. United States Jaycees, 468 U.S. 609, 617-18, 104 S.Ct. 3244, 3249, 82 L.Ed.2d 462 (1984). Here, the statute does not impair an intimate human relationship nor an association for the purpose of engaging in an activity protected by the first amendment. Moreover, even if the statute posed some barrier to freedom of association (which it does not), it is clear that it does not impose a substantial interference, as is required to strike a statute on overbreadth grounds. 43 Kaufmann also contends that the statute infringes upon his freedom of expression. The speech at issue here is commercial in nature. Commercial speech is not open to an overbreadth analysis. Record Head Corp. v. Sachen, 682 F.2d 672 (7th Cir.1982); Bates v. State Bar of Arizona, 433 U.S. 350, 380-81, 97 S.Ct. 2691, 2707, 53 L.Ed.2d 810 (1977); Shapero v. Kentucky Bar Ass'n, 486 U.S. 466, 478, 108 S.Ct. 1916, 1924, 100 L.Ed.2d 475 (1988) (Brennan, J., joined by Marshall, Blackmun, and Kennedy, JJ.); but see San Francisco Arts & Athletics, Inc. v. United States Olympic Comm., 483 U.S. 522, 536-37 n. 15, 107 S.Ct. 2971, 2981 n. 15, 97 L.Ed.2d 427 (1987) (doctrine as applied to commercial speech is highly questionable). Because § 1956 does not implicate constitutionally protected conduct, Kaufmann's overbreadth challenge fails. See United States v. Gleave, 786 F.Supp. 258, 267-68 (W.D.N.Y.1992) (§ 1956 not unconstitutionally overbroad); United States v. Mainieri, 691 F.Supp. 1394, 1397 (S.D.Fla.1988) (§ 1956 does not implicate constitutionally protected conduct).
44 Kaufmann challenges § 1956(a)(3)(B) on vagueness grounds. The void-for-vagueness doctrine requires that a penal statute define the criminal offense with sufficient definiteness that ordinary people can understand what conduct is prohibited and in a manner that does not encourage arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement. Kolender v. Lawson, 461 U.S. 352, 357, 103 S.Ct. 1855, 1858, 75 L.Ed.2d 903 (1983). The most important aspect of the doctrine is the requirement that the legislature establish minimal guidelines to govern the discretion of law enforcement officials. Id. at 358, 103 S.Ct. at 1858. The vagueness of statutes that do not threaten First Amendment interests is examined in light of the facts at hand. Maynard v. Cartwright, 486 U.S. 356, 361, 108 S.Ct. 1853, 1857, 100 L.Ed.2d 372 (1988). 45 We initially note that this court and others have ruled that § 1956(a)(1)(B) is not void for vagueness, both on its face and as applied to facts similar to those at hand. See Antzoulatos, 962 F.2d 720; Jackson, 935 F.2d 832; United States v. Long, 977 F.2d 1264, 1273 (8th Cir.1992); United States v. Gilliam, 975 F.2d 1050, 1056-57 (4th Cir.1992); United States v. Awan, 966 F.2d 1415, 1424-25 (11th Cir.1992); Gleave, 786 F.Supp. at 268-70; United States v. Sierra-Garcia, 760 F.Supp. 252, 258-59 (E.D.N.Y.1991); United States v. Kimball, 711 F.Supp. 1031, 1034 (D.Nev.1989); United States v. Ortiz, 738 F.Supp. 1394 (S.D.Fla.1990). 46 An examination of § 1956(a)(3)(B) reveals that this provision is unambiguous as well. Under this provision, the government must prove that Kaufmann had the specific intent to conceal or disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, or control of property he believed to be the proceeds of unlawful activity; that representations to that effect were made by law enforcement officers, or by those acting under their direction; and that the representations relate to specified unlawful conduct enumerated in § 1956(c)(7). Of course, under this provision, an ordinary person will not know that he is receiving representations from law enforcement officers or an authorized informant. However, the statute provides adequate notice that if he believes the property is the proceeds of specified unlawful activity, he incurs a high risk of liability if he conducts a financial transaction with the intent to conceal its ownership. This provision is not written in a manner that would encourage arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement, see Kolender, 461 U.S. at 357, 103 S.Ct. at 1858, nor would an ordinary person be unable to understand what conduct is prohibited. As such, we conclude that § 1956(a)(3)(B) is not void for vagueness. See United States v. Loehr, 966 F.2d 201, 203-04 (6th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 113 S.Ct. 655, 121 L.Ed.2d 582 (1992) (§ 1956(a)(3)(B) not void for vagueness).