Rock On, Gibson!
ML/LTOS
Posted on 02/02/2014 8:21:52 AM PST by ImJustAnotherOkie
In 2011, the Department of Justice raided Gibson Guitar facilities in Memphis and Nashville, alleging a violation of the so-called Lacey Act, a law that bans the importation of certain kinds of wildlife, plants and wood.
At the time of the raid, Gibson Guitars CEO Henry Juszkiewicz told Hugh Hewitt on his radio show that the feds confiscated tonewood imported from India for the guitar Gibson manufacturers which would result in a cost of $2 to $3 million for his company.
At a great expense in legal fees and time, Juszkiewicz fought the federal government tooth and nail. But in August 2012, he settled with the Department of Justice by agreeing to pay a penalty of $300,000 and a $50,000 community service payment to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
I’ve also checked Fender CEO Larry E. Thomas. No political donations.
I can only play ONE Les Paul at a time...but just DAy-yum! I want one o’ those! LOL!
Yeah, that sounds about right.
It’s details like these that make defending Gibson difficult.
Apologies for the mistake. Credit Scoutmaster for the correction.
Thanks.
Even though I hate Les Pauls, I may just go ahead and get one of these...
With HIS signature on it?
I’d burn it first.
Like going to see Lone Survivor, I didn’t enjoy it much but considered it taking one for the team.
I must admit to having emblazoned pickguard with the great leaders signature....
the pickups on the Obama Sucks model.... dont work anyway.. they are in fact Purely Cosmetic!
its aimed at the AIRHEAD...Guitarist market
thee BaRock Obama Model... comes “standard” without tuners....frets...or pickups....
its 100 percent for SHOW
They did, that was documented.
Kudos to Gibson.Seeing the additional posts and reading comments, I went back to dig a bit. I found the following:
I hadn't been following this story as closely as I'd like. What I find shameful is that there was little action on the part of Tennessee Congressional Representatives in either defense of Gibson or to fix the Lacey Act. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) co-sponsored the Amendment to the Lacey Act in 2008 that included wood in its wording. Government agencies then interpreted this as a violation due to a clerical error on the part of the company that imported the wood for Gibson. The larger issues here, for me, are the outrageous government response to what has been coined a 'civil matter' and the fact that neither can I find any action on the part of Congress to fix the Lacey Act nor any action on the part of Tennessee Congressmen on the part of Gibson. Gibson may very well have been on both sides of the fence, politically (smart business), but the result seems to have left then out in the cold.
I wait with bated breath the outing of this Special Edition guitar on a nationally-televised musical event. (color me 'blue')
Gibson Guitar Corp. Responds to Federal Raid
Gibson Les Paul Guitars With Less Ebony
Gibson Guitar Corporation admits to importing endangered wood
India import led to probe at 2 Tenn. Gibson Guitar plants
Gibson guitars set to miss Indian notes as raids in US and Europe on Gibson's facilities continue
Now The Gibson Guitar Raids Make SenseNow The Gibson Guitar Raids Make Sense
In my opinion, I think it's clear that things are 'not clear'. I leave it to someone else with more time than I to wade through all the BS, but hold to my opinion above. There is also the apparently UNRESOLVED ISSUE of 'possession of endangered woods'; you all know what that means.
"Now there are 4,500 laws and hundreds of thousands of regulations that no one, not even a lawyer, not a judge, could possibly know. Furthermore, there is no central location or website that an average citizen can go to find out what the federal crimes are. And that matters when intent does not have to be proven to be convicted," Paul Larkin, senior legal research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told Newsmax.From here:
Last year, Blackburn and fellow U.S. Reps. Jim Cooper of Nashville, a Democrat, introduced legislation they said would protect people from charges for unknowingly possessing illegally imported wood, and would require the federal government to establish a database of forbidden wood sources.Last October: US reps seek new law after raids at Gibson guitars
Officials with the U.S. Justice Department and the Interior Department in a letter to members of Congress last month said it is not a crime to "unknowingly possess" such instruments, and that prosecutors would target only "those who are removing protected species from the wild and making a profit by trafficking in them." Blackburn said the bill would make that approach the law. "We don't want individuals to have to depend on the language of that letter," she said.Well, the only legislation 'I' can find at congress.gov is H.R.3280, and it's languishing in Committee...
I remember wondering wtf? when the colors got switched to make the formerly red commie demonrats now the blue party and the former party with the "I'd rather be dead than red" cred went red. Huh?!?
I'm easily confused anyway, but especially so by their tactic of continually adopting and/or changing accepted terminology to advance their agendas against a fomerly intractable and determined opposition.
Ahh...the "good ol' days"...I'm now so old that I remember when "gay apparel" just meant the Christmas season, instead of what happens to fashion challenged heterosexual men on TV.
Apparently, the first Tower of Babble's fall wasn't enough, so now we're building the twin tower sequel? Babble on, Garth.
Oh, now that would be a “Wallhanger” fer shure!
The House Committee on Natural Resources favorably reported the RELIEF Act by a vote of 25-19 on June 7, 2012.
Unfortunately, on July 19, House Republican leaders canceled plans for a floor vote and effectively pulled the bill from further consideration by the 112th Congress.
From that point, it's as you say - "it's languishing in Committee."
Not only was it set on fire, it was played upside down! :-)
I’m just finishing up the book. It’s really good.
hope the movie lives up to it.
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