Obama signs International Megan’s Law

Congressman Chris Smith was the sponsor of the International Megan’s Law

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Monday signed legislation named for a Hamilton girl that’s designed to alert foreign governments when registered sex offenders travel abroad. The International Megan’s Law to Prevent Child Exploitation and Other Sexual Crimes Through Advanced Notification of Traveling Sex Offenders was sponsored by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and cleared by… Read the rest of this entry »

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House of Representatives Passes International Megan’s Law, Bill Awaits Obama’s Signature

By Congressman Chris Smith

Eight years after I first introduced a bill to protect children in the U.S. and around the world from convicted pedophiles who travel in secret to or from the United States—currently below the radar of law enforcement officials—it is now on the verge of becoming law.

The House today passed, and sent to the President, my International Megan’s Law to Prevent Demand for Child Sex Trafficking (HR 515)—named for Megan Kanka, a seven-year-old from Hamilton, N.J. in our congressional district who was sexually assaulted and killed in 1994. Megan’s assailant was a convicted, repeat sex offender living across the street, unbeknownst to residents in the neighborhood. Due to public outcry in response to the tragedy and to hard work by Megan’s loving parents, Richard and Maureen Kanka, the New Jersey State Legislature passed the original Megan’s Law (NJSA 2C: 7-1 through 7-II) in 1994 to require public notification of convicted sex offenders living in the community.

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19 Arrested in Monmouth Prostitution Sting

19 people were arrested last weekend on prostitution related charges according to an announcement by Sheriff Shaun Golden.  The arrests occurred in Wall and Hazlet Townships.

The undercover operation was conducted by the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Hazlet and Wall Township Police Departments.

Twelve females were charged with solicitation of prostitution and seven people were charged with promotion of prostitution. Additional charges included possession of Controlled Dangerous Substances, possession with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school zone and possession of a weapon. A total of $5,000 was confiscated.

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Gallagher on Power and Politics this weekend

Luke Margolis, Art Gallagher and Jay Lassiter on the News12 set

Your favorite blogger appears on News12’s Power and Politics with Luke Margolis this weekend opposite the indefatigable Democratic activist Jay Lassiter.

Our topic was Congressman Chris Smith’s commitment to human rights and his controversial comments regarding LGBT rights vs human rights last month.

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U.S. House passes International Megan’s Law sponsored by N.J. Rep. Chris Smith

N.J. Congressman Chris Smith, (R-4th District, left, concludes a meeting with staff members, legal assistant, Cate Bendetti center, and Foreign Affairs Council Akkison Hollabaugh, right, before heading to the Capitol Building. Washington, DC. Robert Sciarrino/The Star-Ledger

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives today passed legislation to extend Megan’s Law beyond American borders. The bill, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.), would require the U.S. to tell other countries when convicted sex offenders are traveling there. It would also try to set up reciprocal notification systems so the U.S. is… Read the rest of this entry »

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Joint Super Bowl Operation Targeting Commercial Child Sex Trafficking Rescue 25 Minors, Apprehends 45 Suspects

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Members of U.S. and New Jersey law enforcement agencies who took part in a Joint Super Bowl Operation deserve tremendous credit for rescuing 25 children ages 13-17 from lives of misery and sexual abuse, and for arresting 45 suspects who allegedly exploited the children for commercial sex, said Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees global human rights, and author of the landmark law, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-386).

According to the FBI, which announced the arrests yesterday, some suspects claimed to have traveled to New Jersey from other states specifically for the purpose of prostituting women and children at the Super Bowl. High-profile special events, which draw large crowds, have become lucrative opportunities for child prostitution criminal enterprises, the FBI said.

“This unprecedented effort by federal agencies in collaboration with local law enforcement from New Jersey aggressively focused on combating commercial child sex trafficking,” said Smith. “The joint efforts and the extraordinary leadership shown by Governor Christie and the New Jersey Human Trafficking Task force is to be applauded for working effectively to help save lives. 

“Young victims now have a chance for a new start thanks to these arrests and rescues. Those who took advantage of young runaways and women forced or mislead into a life of sex trafficking and abuse must now face justice. Hopefully this effective effort will become a prototype and have a chilling effect on perpetrators across the nation and around the globe.”

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The Asbury Park Press Should Stop Profiting From Human Trafficking

The Asbury Park Press has a piece of the by the State and non-profit groups to crack down in human trafficking in New Jersey.

The Super Bowl is said to be big business for human traffickers.  With the big game coming to the Meadowlands in February, the State and the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking is working to educate and mobilize local hotels to stop trafficking in their venues.

But trafficking in a year round problem.  Judging by the ads in the app, there is quite a bit of it happening right here in Monmouth County.

The sanctimonious nudniks should do their part and stop accepting ads that offer “A HOT SPECIAL TREAT Blondes and Brunettes Russian, Brazilian & Spanish Girls Brand New Girls Every week,” “Beyond Therapy” and the like.

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