Gibson Guitar Corp. Responds to Federal Raid

[osoab]

Gibson Guitar Corp. Responds to Federal Raid (http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/News/gibson-0825-2011/)



Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar Corp., has responded to the August 24 raid of Gibson facilities in Nashville and Memphis by the Federal Government. In a press release, Juszkiewicz said: “Gibson is innocent and will fight to protect its rights. Gibson has complied with foreign laws and believes it is innocent of ANY wrong doing. We will fight aggressively to prove our innocence.”

The raids forced Gibson to cease manufacturing operations and send workers home for the day while armed agents executed the search warrants. “Agents seized wood that was Forest Stewardship Council controlled,” Juszkiewicz said.

“Gibson has a long history of supporting sustainable and responsible sources of wood and has worked diligently with entities such as the Rainforest Alliance and Greenpeace to secure FSC-certified supplies. The wood seized on August 24 satisfied FSC standards.”

Juszkiewicz believes that the Justice Department is bullying Gibson without filing charges.

“The Federal Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. has suggested that the use of wood from India that is not finished by Indian workers is illegal, not because of U.S. law, but because it is the Justice Department’s interpretation of a law in India. (If the same wood from the same tree was finished by Indian workers, the material would be legal.) This action was taken without the support and consent of the government in India.”

To read the entire press release, click here (http://www.gibson.com/absolutenm/templates/FeatureTemplatePressRelease.aspx?articleid=1340&zoneid=6).
The below is the here link.

The Justice department bullies Gibson without filing charges


The Federal Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. has suggested that the use of wood from India that is not finished by Indian workers is illegal, not because of U.S. law, but because it is the Justice Department’s interpretation of a law in India. (If the same wood from the same tree was finished by Indian workers, the material would be legal.) This action was taken without the support and consent of the government in India.

On August 24, 2011, around 8:45 a.m. CDT, agents for the federal government executed four search warrants on Gibson’s facilities in Nashville and Memphis and seized several pallets of wood, electronic files and guitars. Gibson had to cease its manufacturing operations and send workers home for the day, while armed agents executed the search warrants. Gibson has fully cooperated with the execution of the search warrants.

• Raid shut down Gibson factories and cost company money
This is the second time that federal agents have raided Gibson facilities and disrupted production – this time causing lost productivity and sales.

• Wood seized was Forest Stewardship Council Controlled
The wood the Government seized on August 24 is from a Forest Stewardship Council certified supplier and is FSC Controlled, meaning that the wood complies with the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council, which is an industry-recognized and independent, not-for-profit organization established to promote responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC Controlled Wood standards require, among other things, that the wood not be illegally harvested and not be harvested in violation of traditional and civil rights. See www.fsc.org (http://www.fsc.org/) for more information. Gibson has a long history of supporting sustainable and responsible sources of wood and has worked diligently with entities such as the Rainforest Alliance and Greenpeace to secure FSC certified supplies. The wood seized on August 24 satisfied FSC standards.

• Nearly two years later, no charges have been filed
In 2009, more than a dozen agents with automatic weapons invaded the Gibson factory in Nashville. The Government seized guitars and a substantial amount of ebony fingerboard blanks from Madagascar. To date, 1 year and 9 months later, criminal charges have NOT been filed, yet the Government still holds Gibson’s property. Gibson has obtained sworn statements and documents from the Madagascar government and these materials, which have been filed in federal court, show that the wood seized in 2009 was legally exported under Madagascar law and that no law has been violated. Gibson is attempting to have its property returned in a civil proceeding that is pending in federal court.

The Justice Department has asked the judge to stop the court case indefinitely.

• Information sought in raid was already made available
Since 2009, Gibson has fully cooperated with the Government’s investigation of wood and has provided substantial documentation regarding Gibson’s wood-buying activities over the years. Yet, the Federal Government raided Gibson’s facilities on August 24, 2011, without warning or communication of any kind. Had the Government simply communicated with Gibson, Gibson would have cooperated without having to stop its production and send workers home.

• Not about illegal logging, not about conservation, not about the environment
The U.S. Lacey Act does not directly address conservation issues but is about obeying all laws of the countries from which wood products are procured. This law reads that you are guilty if you did not observe a law even though you had no knowledge of that law in a foreign country. The U.S. Lacey Act is only applicable when a foreign law has been violated.

• Gibson is innocent and will fight to protect its rights
Gibson has complied with foreign laws and believes it is innocent of ANY wrong doing. We will fight aggressively to prove our innocence.
For more information, please contact:


Henry E. Juszkiewicz
c/o Gibson Guitar Corp.
309 Plus Park Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37217
(615) 871-4500 Extension 2405
www.gibson.com (http://www.gibson.com/)

[midnight rambler]

As if there aren't any real criminals to be found, e.g. on Wall Street.

Clearly this was done as a publicity stunt, at Gibson's expense.

[mick silver]

just one more company that will leave the usa in time

[ximmy]

NWO: There shall be no indigenous manufacturing in America. All products to be imported or manufactured in USA by foreign manufacturers.

Legal US Citizenry to be occupied with service jobs only. All non-whites to have government jobs or subsidized livelihood, paid for by taxing of private small American businesses.

[Glass]

very twilight zone

[osoab]

What if Gibson brought over 1 Indian on a H1B visa to "oversee" all the others?

[Ponce]

just one more company that will leave the usa in time

Maybe that's the plan all along?........that way they can kill the American workers faster.

[ximmy]

What if Gibson brought over 1 Indian on a H1B visa to "oversee" all the others?

You've got it completely wrong... Immigrant would have to have a b-2 visa, expired. Could therefore become eligible for (tax payer paid) Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM). All company profit to be earmarked for Israeli aid.

[madfranks]

The raids forced Gibson to cease manufacturing operations and send workers home for the day while armed agents executed the search warrants. “Agents seized wood that was Forest Stewardship Council controlled,” Juszkiewicz said.

What the EFF is "forest stewardship council controlled"? It's EFFING wood for God's sake, let them do their business. You don't have to raid a guitar manufacturing factory, for Christ's sakes.


The Federal Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. has suggested that the use of wood from India that is not finished by Indian workers is illegal, not because of U.S. law, but because it is the Justice Department’s interpretation of a law in India.

Just stop with the bull already. For reals, this is your reason for shutting down a productive enterprise in America today?

[iOWNme]

Incredible. Read the comments on the Gibson page. People are awake, even average musicians....

Somebody, somewhere doesn't like competition.

[ximmy]

NWO: There shall be no indigenous manufacturing in America. All products to be imported or manufactured in USA by foreign manufacturers.

Legal US Citizenry to be occupied with service jobs only. All non-whites to have government jobs or subsidized livelihood, paid for by taxing of private small American businesses.

there it is...

DOJ Advises Gibson Guitar to Export Labor to Madagascar

The Gibson Guitar saga has taken a sinister turn.

It seems that the Department of Justice wasn’t satisfied with merely raiding the law abiding factories of Gibson Guitar with armed agents, shutting down their operation costing them millions, and leaving the American company in the dark as to how to proceed without going out of business.

Now, according to CEO Henry Juszkiewicz, agents of the United States government are bluntly informing them that they’d be better off shipping their manufacturing labor overseas.

http://www.redstate.com/aglanon/2011/08/31/doj-advises-gibson-guitar-to-export-labor/

[Neuro]

Absurd!

[midnight rambler]

WTF is wrong with those bureaucRATs?!?!?!

[Grog]

Wow! That's not the way to stimulate the economy.

[JJ.G0ldD0t]

that's it.

I'm anti-government now.

[midnight rambler]

"Hi, I'm from the govt....I'm here to destroy you."

[gunDriller]

Incredible. Read the comments on the Gibson page. People are awake, even average musicians....

Somebody, somewhere doesn't like competition.

it is incredible.

there's no malice in Gibson using rare woods or ivory in a guitar.

i would say this is as outrageous as ticketing kids with lemonade stands and feeling up older people who are wearing diapers.


the paperwork BURDEN - there is no more effective way to slow down a creative or manufacturing enterprise.i can't help but wonder if this is related to 9-11. it seems like there are 10 or 100 times more ridiculous laws after 9-11.

raiding raw milk suppliers, busting parents for not having their children vaccinated - it's like the US gov. has degenerated into a massive Jewish crime syndicate, which holds out its hands to collect a toll every step of the way - since 9-11.


when do you think these ridiculous laws started piling up the fastest ?

[iOWNme]

it is incredible.
when do you think these ridiculous laws started piling up the fastest ?

When citizens create a Government that CANNOT take away what they produce, a problem arises = They become incredibly wealthy, rapidly.

From this point on, the biggest enemy of the free people is the Government, who will be filled with men who find it easier to Plunder than to work for their needs.

[DMac]

Chicago style politics. Gibson is a big Republican donor.

DOJ used to punish Republican Donors Gibson Guitar Company (http://www.thecitizen.com/node/8415)

The US gov DICKHEADS are acting on their interpretation of Indian law while the Indian government claims the US is acting without the support or consent of the Indian government.

GANGSTA ::)

According to Madagascar, the wood was legally exported from their country - no arguments from them.

So what the *&** is the DoJ up to?

The usual.

CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES.

The government makes me sick.

[mick silver]

when you have gangs of gov workers that dont fellow the laws that were put in place for them it make it harder for companys here to make and sell their stuff in this country and around the world . no were in the world do you see the gov going after the companys that are there like we are seeing here . if this country is not almost done the i just dont know anymore .

[ximmy]

UPDATE Sept. 28, 2011

Feds to Gibson... We will not stop until your guitars are made in India...

Federal authorities are pressuring Nashville-based Gibson Guitar to hand over an additional 25 bundles of Indian wood that the company allegedly planned to use in its famous guitars.

The complaint was filed today in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee and mirrors a 2010 action that sought official forfeiture of wood obtained in a 2009 raid of Gibson facilities. The latter of those cases has been stayed, pending the outcome of the most recent suit.

As has been the case in previous allegations, at issue is the classification of certain wood imported to the United States from India. Namely, a June shipment of 1,250 sawn logs was classified as "finished parts of musical instruments," which is allowed under Indian law. In reality, according to the sworn affidavit of Fish and Wildlife Service agent Kevin Seiler, the wood was unfinished – a violation of the Lacey Act.

The Lacey Act, originally passed by Congress in 1900, was amended in 2008 as part of that year’s Farm Bill to include protection for certain wood and endangered animal species. At its core, the Lacey Act makes it illegal to import plants or wildlife into the U.S. if those goods are harvested in a way that violates the laws of another country.

In other words, because Indian workers didn’t create the final product, it’s not legally eligible to be exported.

The affidavit also outlines allegations that Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz understands the violations, as evidenced by the staunch defense of his company in a press conference and subsequent political fights around the Lacey Act.

“It is clear that Gibson understands the purpose of the Lacey Act, and understands that … fingerboard blanks are not finished fingerboards and thus Gibson is aware that its order for fingerboard blanks was an order for contraband ebony wood or ebony wood which is illegal to possess," Seiler wrote.

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2011/09/28/feds-to-gibson-give-us-more-wood.html?ana=e_pft

[osoab]

This whole Gibson thing is just f#^$ed up.

It boggles my mind that this can even be an issue.

[joboo]

What a pathetic joke. How does the Lacey act even apply to this?

Ok, lets "protect plants and wildlife" by making the fingerboards there instead of here. WTFF?

The trees are already dead, and cut to pieces, but apparently that's not the issue.

Finger fucking boards made in India?

There is an incredible level of retardation going on here behind the scenes.


Kevin Seiler from the Fish and wildlife services: kevinlseiler@yahoo.com

[Joe King]

Ironicly, that 2008 Amendment was apparently supported by Gibson.

[Cebu_4_2]

UPDATEAs has been the case in previous allegations, at issue is the classification of certain wood imported to the United States from India. Namely, a June shipment of 1,250 sawn logs was classified as "finished parts of musical instruments," which is allowed under Indian law. In reality, according to the sworn affidavit of Fish and Wildlife Service agent Kevin Seiler, the wood was unfinished – a violation of the Lacey Act.

Looks to me according to this article that they did in fact violate the law. They are under huge scrutiny now and claiming finished when it is a log is obvious.

[Joe King]

I don't abide by dumb lawsDo you break dumb laws that you supported being created?

[Joe King]

What the fuk does U.S. Fish and Wildlife have to do with regulations in India?

More gubment bloat and the U.S. thinking it has the right to tell every country how things need to be done
It's not that the gov is telling India how to do things, but rather that the gov is applying here what it thinks Indias law means.

[Horn]

just one more company that will leave the usa in time

The Banks are stuffing any sort of economy that might startup anywhere at this time, not just in the U.S.

Feds just a tool doing their bidding.

Just enough juice is cast just to keep the populace addicted to them, anyone found to be thriving will be dissected.

[midnight rambler]

Ultimately the systemites don't want anyone being happy and making music.

[SLV^GLD]

What the EFF is "forest stewardship council controlled"? It's EFFING wood for God's sake, let them do their business. You don't have to raid a guitar manufacturing factory, for Christ's sakes.

I think you are missing the point. FSC wood and FSC wood containing products arrive with a chain of custody form (COC). Each entity along the chain has a COC# and when the wood reaches its final destination the COC forms can be used to verify that the wood was farmed in a sustainable manner. My experience with FSC lumber and FSC wood containing products is in relation to LEED, a green building initiative of which I hold professional accreditation.

FSC wood is not mandated, it is a choice. Gibson is not in any trouble for utilizing or not utilizing FSC woods as there is no legal requirement to do either. I can say that the choice to use FSC woods is an expensive choice typically on the order of double the cost of not using FSC woods. FSC is sort of like organic food certification. The certification indicates inspections and verification that the food was grown according to the provisions for obtaining the certification. That a food or wood lacks the label doesn't necessarily mean that it is not organic or grown and harvested in a sustainable manner it just means the provider has not been certified.

If you buy FSC wood you can rest assured that the forest the wood was cultivated in was managed according to sustainable practices in good stewardship to the environment; that the tree that was cut down was replaced by another, that the milling of the wood resulted in minimal environmental impact due to runoff and waste piles and so on. You buy wood that is not FSC and you may well get the exact same product or you may have gotten wood that cut from virgin land being raped for strip mining and the sawdust was put into baby formula (or some other terrible but more realistic idea).

The main point being made by Gibson in regards to the wood being FSC is that FSC indicates to Gibson that the wood was not harvested illegally. Gibson was doing due diligence by purchasing FSC woods. If those woods were in fact harvested illegally, it would not be Gibson's liability but someone within the chain of custody bearing the FSC COC#.

FWIW, for a new construction building pursuing LEED certification below Gold level FSC is too expensive for the single credit point that can be achieved. The credit is achieved by making FSC woods 50% of the installed woods by cost. This pretty much means that any cabinetry, toilet partitions and especially doors that are wood must be FSC (unless you're building a wood frame building). The wood blocking in the walls and the wood in the soffits may equate to more volume but they will not nearly approach the costs of the assemblies listed above. As the industry continues to adopt these trends primarily in response to government requirements that all state and federal projects meet LEED Silver certifiability more and more products appear at reasonable prices containing FSC woods.

All in all FSC is good like Organic Certification is good. It remains good as long as it remains a choice. In both cases, it would be best if everyone adopted forestry stewardship and organic farming practices but requiring it creates governmental enforcement and restriction on a free market.

[Horn]

My experience with FSC lumber and FSC wood containing products is in relation to LEED, a green building initiative of which I hold professional accreditation.

If wood could salute you, it might.

LEED itself probably destroys more wood than guitars do, with the paper work submittals...

http://files.sharenator.com/BennyHillSalute_RE_To_our_sharenator_Veterans-s296x296-173190-580.jpg

[Libertytree]

Nothing short of total, catastrophic collapse can stop the madness that our government has become.

[goldleaf]

All these ridiculous regulations originate at the U.N. Enviromental bullshit!! I might just go out and buy a Gibson guitar
even though I can't play. These rosewood guitars will be a good investment!

[DMac]

All these ridiculous regulations originate at the U.N. Enviromental bullshit!! I might just go out and buy a Gibson guitar
even though I can't play. These rosewood guitars will be a good investment!

^ Good point!

[Mouse]

1194Les Paul thinks Kosher wood sucks.

[SLV^GLD]

If wood could salute you, it might.

LEED itself probably destroys more wood than guitars do, with the paper work submittals...

http://files.sharenator.com/BennyHillSalute_RE_To_our_sharenator_Veterans-s296x296-173190-580.jpg

LEED Documentation is submitted electronically. The USGBC audits some percentage of projects. If audited paper copies will be required. The paper involved is the same paper that would be required for typical construction submittals. That is, the same documentation processed for a typical, non-LEED project is scanned and submitted electronically for a LEED project. Finally, wood is an infinitely renewable resource when managed with good stewardship (hence FSC) so your concept of "destroying wood" is disingenuous.

Troll much?

[Horn]

Bologna, LEED is the sum total & front line of the "NWO", I'm surprised you even mentioned you're credited by them here.

I've worked with people who's sole existence is based on these LEED stipulations, that's right it takes up 100% of their lives licking Goobermental red tape.

[SLV^GLD]

Bologna, LEED is the sum total & front line of the "NWO", I'm surprised you even mentioned you're credited by them here.

I've worked with people who's sole existence is based on these LEED stipulations, that's right it takes up 100% of their lives licking Goobermental red tape.

I work in construction management. We build buildings. If someone wants to build a LEED certified building we have to put someone on staff who understands the LEED credit system and can organize the schedule and recognize the cost impacts as well as review submittal documentation for compliance. That's me. If someone wants to build a building and LEED is the last thing on their mind we have to put someone on staff who can organize the schedule and recognize the cost impacts as well as review submittal documentation for compliance. That's still me.

Being LEED accredited gives my team the opportunity to build buildings we otherwise could not have. We really don't give 2 shits if an Owner intends to pursue LEED certification or not. The reason I mentioned my accreditation was in order to assert my knowledge on something that I was dispensing information in response to a question concerning it. I presented the facts, not a goddamned agenda. You can shove your NWO slander up your ass.

[ximmy]

You can shove your NWO slander up your ass.

The NWO is up our ass...

[Horn]

You can shove your NWO slander up your ass.

No slander, you work on the front lines with the NWO, is all.

Many people make a living off the governmental tit,

Many people, I think its in the millions by now, all continually munching away at Earth's sustainability.

[ximmy]

No slander, you work on the front lines with the NWO, is all.

Many people make a living off the governmental tit.


You can shove your NWO slander up your ass.
For Horn...
Greg Hetson, Circle Jerks: To get that mean fuckin' low end and still retain some highs in your sound, use only Gibson guitars. SG's and Les Pauls are the ultimate punk rock tools.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YNfvl_qhVE

[Horn]

Did ever touch a Les Paul?

You don't even know how to use a guitar, and it makes you sound like a veteran.

[JDRock]

i own a les paul.....its the only electric ill use in shows. heavy? yes, but soo worth it.

[joboo]

What the fuk does U.S. Fish and Wildlife have to do with regulations in India?

More gubment bloat and the U.S. thinking it has the right to tell every country how things need to be done

Funny thing is the Indian government has given full approval for export, everything is inspected, and all the paperwork signed, then it ships out.

If the Indian govt says it's good I don't see what the problem is.

[Joe King]

The "problem" is Washington DC. lol

Oh, and their interpretation of the Indian law.

[Horn]

Gibson SG


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2TADt0y5h8

[mick silver]

there it is...

DOJ Advises Gibson Guitar to Export Labor to Madagascar

The Gibson Guitar saga has taken a sinister turn.

It seems that the Department of Justice wasn’t satisfied with merely raiding the law abiding factories of Gibson Guitar with armed agents, shutting down their operation costing them millions, and leaving the American company in the dark as to how to proceed without going out of business.

Now, according to CEO Henry Juszkiewicz, agents of the United States government are bluntly informing them that they’d be better off shipping their manufacturing labor overseas.

http://www.redstate.com/aglanon/2011/08/31/doj-advises-gibson-guitar-to-export-labor/

thanks ximmy . if anyone still think the goverment care about anything are anyonre in this country needs to go and see a head doctor

[mick silver]

maybe we still have the time to ship our goverment to Madagascar

[Horn]

thanks ximmy . if anyone still think the goverment care about anything are anyonre in this country needs to go and see a head doctor

It's only comparable to those blood offerings of the Maya.

http://picture-book.com/files/userimages/2280u/mayan-pyramid.jpg

[osoab]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=V5IYGroW1nA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=V5IYGroW1nA


"They...come in with weapons, they seized a half-million dollars worth of property, they shut our factory down, and they have not charged us with anything," says Gibson Guitars CEO Henry Juszkiewicz, referring to the August 2011 raid on his Nashville and Memphis factories by agents from the Departments of Homeland Security and Fish & Wildlife.

The feds raided Gibson for using an inappropriate tariff code on wood from India, which is a violation of the anti-trafficking statute known as The Lacey Act. At issue is not whether the wood in question was endangered, but whether the wood was the correct level of thickness and finish before being exported from India. "India is wanting to ensure that raw wood is not exported without some labor content from India," says Juskiewicz.

Andrea Johnson of the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) counters that "it's not up to Gibson to decide which laws...they want to respect." She points out that Gibson had previously been raided under The Lacey Act for imports from Madagascar.

This much is clear: The government has yet to file any charges or allow Gibson a day in court to makes its case, much less retrieve its materials. "This is not about responsible forestry and sustainable wood or illegal logging, this is about a bureaucratic law," argues Juszkiewicz, who testified last year before a congressional hearing convened by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). It is, he says, "a blank check for abuse."

[lapis]

It sounds like the same scorched earth M.O. they use with raw dairy farmers and co-ops; make it so that they are basically put out of business.

[Horn]

It sounds like the same scorched earth M.O. they use with raw dairy farmers and co-ops; make it so that they are basically put out of business.

Business is bad for business.

[gunDriller]

that's what Gibson Guitar gets for not pasteurizing their products.

[Awoke]

Seriously Horn, what is with that Avatar?

[ximmy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=V5IYGroW1nA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=V5IYGroW1nA

Until Gibson contracts to make perpetual payments to the mob... (Mob being the zio-infected state) Gibson will not be allowed to conduct normal business.

[osoab]

Until Gibson contracts to make perpetual payments to the mob... (Mob being the zio-infected state) Gibson will not be allowed to conduct normal business.


Well, they just didn't send in to the coffers of the Dems that are in power. They covered the Republican side of the equation.

Akin to the dealerships that were closed during the fed gov take over of GM and Chrysler.

[Horn]

Seriously Horn, what is with that Avatar?

Us Paul supporters are just slave child labor with no choice in the matter...

Forget what I was browsing by when I came across it?