N.J. Congressman Bargains for Boy's Release

June 9, 2009
While Brazilian courts deliberate the constitutionality of returningkidnapped U.S. boy Sean Goldman to his father David, one U.S. congressman is floating the idea of imposing harsh trade restrictions on Brazil until the boy is back in his father's custody.

"Moral persuasion only goes so far," Rep. Chris Smith, D-N.J., told "Good Morning America" today. "They need to follow the Hague Convention. This is probably the quintessential case of child kidnapping. ... They have failed. ... What else is left?

"We have to say that preferential trade ... will be suspended from Brazil unless they resolve the Goldman case and get on the right path for other outstanding cases."

Smith's unorthodox proposal would cost Brazil billions of dollars in duty-free benefits in one year alone, Smith said.

"I wrote human trafficking laws; they have to have economic bite," Smith said. "Using trade [as a] lever gets the attention of offending countries."

While David Goldman's crusade to get his son back has topped headlines recently, his case is one of more than 60 cases of child abduction in Brazil and nearly 2,000 around the world.

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News & Politics

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• Goldman

[grhr69]

like yourself for instance

[2012vote]

Maybe we can send tacky fat slobs there too.

[grhr69]

lets trade dick cheney and george bush to bring this boy back to his father it will truly improve relations with the rest of the world SEND THEM TO THE HAGUE

[grhr69]

bring this boy back now