The case of Wooden Bedroom Furniture from China has nothing to do with unfair trade and is a perfect example of the need for antidumping reform.

FORBES: Why Antidumping Duties On Chinese Furniture Don't Save U.S. Jobs

While imports of wooden bedroom furniture from China have increased considerably over the past few years, domestic producers (including many of the companies that brought or at least supported the antidumping petition) have played a major role in that increase.

FORBES: Why Antidumping Duties On Chinese Furniture Don't Save U.S. Jobs

If the American public were familiar with all of the sordid details of the antidumping case concerning wooden bedroom furniture from China (which I called a Poster Child for Reform back in 2004), they would be angry and ready to change the law.

FORBES: Tomatoes, Furniture, and Shrimp: Is Extortion the Main Purpose of the Antidumping Law?

For example, the record shows that 20 of the 40 responding domestic producers imported Chinese merchandise during the period and that the 12 largest domestic producers of wooden bedroom furniture all imported reasonably substantial and increasing volumes of merchandise from China during the period of investigation.

FORBES: Why Antidumping Duties On Chinese Furniture Don't Save U.S. Jobs

Well, on Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal did its part by running a story about how U.S. producers of wooden bedroom furniture have been extorting cash from their Chinese competition in exchange for dropping pursuit of even higher antidumping duty rates at the Commerce Department.

FORBES: Tomatoes, Furniture, and Shrimp: Is Extortion the Main Purpose of the Antidumping Law?

Among items he claimed for, according to the Daily Telegraph which has been publishing leaked details of MPs expenses, were a new kitchen, seven doors, wooden flooring, bedroom furniture, chairs and tables, two bookcases and a television.

BBC: Health minister to repay ?41,709