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 ...
upsidedown and backwards....trademarks of both jimi and obama
LOL!
Read the book years ago and loved it. The 2HR version was not enjoyable. I think current events have over shadowed their heroism because it was squandered.
If they broke the law, why did the government return the wood to them?
I had tears in my eyes today reading about all the people that died that day, as well as the 200+ people that showed up at Marcus’s house when it was believed he had died.
Their heroism was *not* squandered.
Oops...I think we’re cross-commenting on both posts.
You get my drift...what a mess.
Thanks. Some things just ‘get my goat’, ya know?
Excellent!!
Sorry to hear of you having to sell you guitars. The media tells us how the recession ended in 09. It may have since we slid into a Depression. And we have the dumbest Administration regarding the economy. What a long nightmare.
I admit to being biased in this, both from personal experience with Gibson guitars and a lifetime of listening to music made with them, but mostly because I am strongly against the methods GuvCo used, whether against Gibson or anyone else.
After reading Scoutmaster's posts over the years about this whenever an article is posted, I confess to an appreciation of the info he brings to the forum, but am not fully persuaded to his opinion, as my emotions regarding GuvCo and their actions are stronger.
GuvCo's use of whatever alphabet agency is handy to intimidate, persecute and/or prosecute its political opposition and enemies, such as with the IRS against the TEA party, etc., is more than enough for me to derate whatever wrongs Gibson may or may not have done.
I can leave my LP in the case and Gibson won't come for me other than to sell me something else. Otoh, obama's GuvCo, who can/will come for you with a small army if they feel like it, can now lock you away for as long as they want to and not tell anyone. Scary.
Life was simpler without so many political considerations for a simple purchase. Now that Martin is off my shopping list, I need to find out if buying a Taylor acoustic will support free enterprise or the marxist socialist opposition. I really like my little GS Mini and would like to move up to a full size GS.
The government didn't return the wood at issue, it only returned the East Indian Rosewood, most of which was seized at the Dallas airport from Luthiers Mercantile.
The two civil forfeiture actions were U.S. v [Madagascar] Ebony Wood in Various Forms, Civil No. 3:10cv00747 (U.S. Dist. Ct. Mid. Dist. Tenn.), and U.S. v. 25 Bundles of Indian Ebony Wood, Civil No. 3:11-cv-00913 (U.S. Dist. Ct. Mid. Dist. Tenn).
The government didn't return the Madascar Ebony or the East Indian Ebony.
Thank you. If you track back through my posts, you'll find I've stated my opinion that the East Indian Rosewood should be returned to Gibson, despite all of the customs errors. It's also been my opinion that Gibson acted knowingly with respect to the Ebony, and it should be confiscated.
That's exactly what happened and I'm quite satisfied with the outcome.
However, I understand your emotions regarding the government action.
In a rocky relationship going bad, the many wrongs accumulate over time and a single event can trigger an emotionally explosive reaction out of proportion with the event itself.
Gibson's case is such an event for me, but I'm fascinated by the bigger picture. The steady rain of obama's and his administration's many outrages has filled America's emotional reservoir and is putting a lot of pressure on our earthen dam.
While reading the comments here and elsewhere, I wonder if Gibson's case lessens that pressure or is it seepage from a growing weak spot warning US before the dam lets go.
Just something to ponder as I climb to higher ground.
The confiscation of musical instruments from individuals bothers me more, such as the seizure and destruction of wooden flutes or the confiscation of a 1948 Martin D-28 by customs from an individual musician because it was made using Brazilian Rosewood.
Brazilian Rosewood wasn't CITES listed until 1992. Brazilian Rosewood in a 1949 guitar isn't illegal.
The last thing I'll say about my outcome satisfaction is this:
The government had the emails and reports from Gibson employee Gene Nix stating that there was no legal source of Madagascar Ebony, and specifically that Roger Thuman was not a legal source. Nix testified to this as well.
About the only thing that Gibson had to do to reach a settlement was to pay a fine and to agree in writing that it had known at the time of purchase of Thuman's wood that it was illegal.
More reasons not to fly and more for that dam to hold back.
Well, the news is, that the guitars are sold out.
Yesterday an e-mail went out from Gibson to dealers telling them not to call for these, they don’t have any more. Any that are to be had are already in the pipeline to various stores.
I went looking yesterday. Personally visited a couple of stores and called 4 more. The last store i called told me that their company was getting 11 of them. I placed an order right then and there for an Explorer.
Just my little act of civil disobedience ;-)
Is that the Monterey guitar that was reassembled after Hendrix beat it to pieces?
Just like Guitar Hero!
If I remember correctly yes...that is the more famous of the “flamed” Guitars
bttt
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